KALE SLAW WITH APPLES, WHITE CHEDDAR, AND PUMPKIN HONEY MUSTARD DRESSING

Stop right here. I know you pretended not to see this recipe, thinking, “Kale salad? Snore.” Didn’t you? I knew it. Yes, kale salad is good for you. Raw kale salad is even better for you. It’s been done, though, many times over, and often presented in a way that feels like dietary penitence—not my style. I won’t apologize for my love of vegetables, but they better taste good, dammit. Like many dark leafy greens, raw kale’s bitter edge needs a bit of culinary sandpaper to even out its acerbic edges. Here, this “sandpaper” is sweet apple, pungent aged cheddar, and a honeyed pumpkin dressing.

Serves 4

For the Pumpkin Honey Mustard Dressing

¼ cup pumpkin purée

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons grainy mustard

2 teaspoons honey

salt, to taste

ground black pepper, to taste

For the Kale Slaw

4 cups packed, shredded lacinato or curly kale

2 apples, any variety, cored and cut into matchsticks or thin slices

2 ounces mature (aged) white cheddar, roughly crumbled or shredded

For the dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

In a large bowl, massage (squeeze) kale with hands until dark green and tender. Toss kale with apples and dressing until evenly coated; add cheddar and gently toss again. Allow slaw to sit (at room temperature or in the refrigerator) for at least 10 minutes before serving. Dressed salad will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.