Turning raw kale into a salad you will crave

There was a time when kale was just ornamental. Then suddenly it became a culinary superstar!

And with good reason. Because once you start eating kale, it will become the "new normal" base for your salads. It has a more robust flavor and texture than lettuce, and is good for you, too. And that's all because kale is part of the same family as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

Black kale — also called Tuscan kale — is the best choice for salads. It has soft, flat leaves and is not prickly or curly. It still needs to be de-stemmed and the leaves need to be torn, but it isn't nearly as tough as curly kale, which is a good choice for making kale chips. Baby kale is the easiest kale to use because all you need to do is wash and dry the tender leaves and finish making the salad.

There are many ways to dress kale in a salad. I love adding a touch of sweetness to both the dressing and the salad mix-ins. This counteracts the slight bitterness of the leaves. The other key is to dress the kale, then let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients. This will slightly wilt the greens, remove the bitter flavor and make the raw kale more tender.

My dressing is similar to Southern coleslaw dressing and I find that it complements the kale without over-powering it.

Once the kale is prepped, you can add any of your favorite combinations of salad ingredients. I like dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, grated manchego cheese and apple slices. The slivered dried apricots add texture, color and a sweet-tartness, the pumpkin seeds add a welcome crunch and a burst of protein to the salad, and the grated manchego adds richness that pairs perfectly with the crisp and refreshing slices of apple.

This is a salad that looks good on the plate and is good for you, but the taste is what will sell you. You will crave it. And because it has big, robust flavors, it's perfect for pairing with an Easter ham or roast lamb.

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KALE SALAD WITH APPLES, APRICOTS AND MANCHEGO CHEESE

Start to finish: 25 minutes (10 minutes active)

Servings: 6

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the salad:

1 large bunch (about 1 pound) Tuscan kale, stems torn or cut out, leaves torn into small pieces

1/3 cup dried apricots, julienned

1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

2 ounces manchego cheese, grated

1 Pink Lady apple, cored and cut into thin half moons

Ground black pepper

To make the dressing, in a large bowl whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mayonnaise, sugar and salt. Add the kale and toss to coat well, then set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, toss again to coat well.

Sprinkle the apricots, pumpkin seeds and cheese over the dressed kale. Toss again to evenly distribute. Season with pepper and additional salt, if needed. Fan thin slices of apple over the top of the salad and serve.

Nutrition information per serving: 230 calories; 110 calories from fat (48 percent of total calories); 12 g fat (3.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 12 g sugar; 9 g protein; 330 mg sodium.