If you ever have access to fresh ricotta- buy it! It’s one of the most wonderful accoutrements. Put a dollop of it on meatballs or schmear on a toasted baguette with a drizzle of honey for you to reach nirvana. It’s that good. This salad hits all the right notes. Quickly grilling kale makes it crispy and smoky. Pairing it with fresh plums and rich, cloud like ricotta transforms it into an amazing, simple summer salad.
Grilled Kale Salad with Ricotta and Plums
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 4 medium plums, halved, pitted, thinly sliced
- 12 large or 16 small curly kale leaves
- ¾ cup fresh ricotta
Instructions
- Whisk 3 Tbsp. oil, vinegar, thyme, and honey in a medium bowl. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Add plums and toss to coat; transfer plums to a plate.
- Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Brush kale leaves with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt. Grill kale, turning once, until crispy and charred at edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a work surface; let stand until cool enough to handle. Remove large center stems with a knife and discard (just trim the tough ends from smaller, more tender kale stems).
- Divide ricotta among plates; season with salt and pepper. Stir vinaigrette again. Tear larger kale leaves into pieces (leave smaller leaves whole). Place leaves in a large bowl and toss with some of the vinaigrette. Divide leaves among plates. Top with plums and drizzle some vinaigrette over.
Recipe and image via Bon Appetit
