By Ally Jane Grossan / Source: Ecosalon

Kale is now a vegetable superstar. It appears in soups, salads, smoothies, on tasting menus and in sushi. Kale is best enjoyed in its pure form: raw and leafy. In this no-cook kale salad, the leaves are cut into thin ribbons and coating in a velvet sesame soy dressing that elevates the earthy vegetable to new heights.

Now that kale is so popular, farmers are planting larger crops many different varieties so that we might enjoy the exotic purple leaves of Russian kale or the sophisticated bitterness of Tuscan kale. This recipe calls for the Tuscan or Lacinato kale, a varietal which has a long history in Italian cuisine. There’s even a type of kale called “Hungry Gap,” named after the mild in-between seasons in the British climate between spring and winter. Kale is related to cabbage and has similar growing patterns.

Tuscan kale is perfectly delicious on its own. I often use thinly-sliced ribbons as a bed for stews and heavy curries instead of rice or pasta. This salad requires absolutely no cooking, just slicing and whisking. This is a great salad to bring on the go because the chopped leaves will not wilt and the dressing can be made in advance.

Kale is amazing in soups and salads and especially good when roasted into kale chips.

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