Grilled kale on grilled bread with sweet balsamic strawberries and a dollop of fresh ricotta is a delicious Spring lunch.
Finally some sunshine. Mother’s Day found me huddled on my couch with a fire. A week later, we turned on the AC. But today is sunny, breezy and just warm enough: perfect day to head to the farm for my CSA. We’re on week 2 and Spring always brings lots of greens, asparagus, and my favorite: strawberries! Last week I used spinach to make a spinach quiche, stir-fried kale with spicy pork and carrots, and ate plenty of awesome fresh salads. This week the stars are strawberries and purple kale. I was barely in my house before I started making this for my lunch.
If you’ve never had farm fresh strawberries, you haven’t lived (I exaggerate only a teensy bit here…) They put those supermarket berries to shame. So although I do toss some balsamic on them, I use a tiny bit so not to overpower the berries. This simple dish combines fresh flavors that let the berries and grilled kale shine. It also brings in a bunch of textures: plump, juicy berries, crisp grilled bread, the crunchy edges of the grilled kale and the lush creaminess of the ricotta. I grabbed the Fulper Farms ricotta while at Dreyer Farms – it’s amazing local New Jersey ricotta. (I could probably just eat it with a spoon, but serving it with kale and berries makes it better for me, right?)
So why are you still reading? Go fire up your grill and enjoy!
- 1 small bunch kale
- 4 slices crusty bread
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, quartered
- ½ tsp. balsamic vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 Tbsp. fresh ricotta
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Preheat a grill on medium-high heat.
- Drizzle the kale with a little olive oil and toss to coat. sprinkle with a little sea salt.
- Toss strawberries with balsamic and set aside.
- When grill is hot,spread the kale on the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Keep an eye on it - the edges will start to char. Remove kale from grill and set aside.
- While the kale cools a bit, grill the bread for 1-2 minutes per side. You want some grill marks but don't dry out the bread completely.
- When kale is cool enough to handle, cut out and discard any tough stems. Coarsely chop remaining kale.
- Pile the kale on the 4 pieces of bread and top each with a tablespoon of ricotta and some of the strawberries. Sprinkle with sea slat and black pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Serve immediately.
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