SUPERCHARGED KALE PANZANELLA WITH POLENTA CROUTONS
SERVES 4 HANDS-ON TIME 15 MINUTES COOKING TIME 15 MINUTES
½ bunch of kale, stems removed Extra-virgin olive oil
100g tomatoes, cut into chunks
250g fresh mozzarella or bocconcini,
roughly torn
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, toasted 1 tablespoon grated parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper
KALE & BASIL PESTO
½ bunch of kale, stems removed ¼ cup basil leaves
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
125ml (½ cup) extra-virgin olive oil 50g (⅓ cup) grated parmesan 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt POLENTA CROUTONS
Extra-virgin olive oil
500g store-bought pre-cooked polenta,
cut into 1 cm cubes
Sea salt
1. For the polenta croutons, heat a large frying pan over a high heat. When hot, drizzle with a big glug of oil and add the polenta cubes. Fry for 5-6 minutes, until golden and crispy on all sides. Season with sea salt and set aside to cool completely.
2. Tear up the kale leaves and place them in a large bowl. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and massage them into the leaves. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the leaves to soften.
3. To make pesto, place the kale and basil in a food processor or blender. Pulse to break up the leaves. Add sunflower seeds and pulse again, then add the oil and blend together until you get a thick yet slightly chunky paste. Pour into a small bowl and stir in the parmesan and vinegar. Season well with sea salt.
4. Combine the softened kale leaves with the tomato, mozzarella or bocconcini, sunflower seeds and parmesan. Add a few spoonfuls of pesto and toss well to coat the leaves. To serve, season with sea salt and black pepper and scatter over the polenta croutons.