BLACK KALE CAESAR WITH ROASTED SWEET POTATOES & CHICKPEAS
You need some hearty ingredients to be happy having a salad for supper in winter, and this one certainly hits the spot. Massaging the kale is worth a few minutes of your time, as it softens it slightly and makes it more enjoyable to eat. If serving vegetarians, make sure your Worcestershire sauce doesn’t contain anchovies.
2 lbs (905 g) sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ⁄ -inch (2 cm) dice
5 tbsp (75 mL) olive oil, divided 2 tsp (10 mL) chili powder
Salt to taste
1 can (540 mL) chickpeas, drained, rinsed
1 tsp (5 mL) garlic powder 2 bunches black kale (also called lacinato, dinosaur or Tuscan kale)
DRESSING
⁄ cup (60 mL) mayonnaise 5 tsp (25 mL) strained fresh lemon juice
⁄ tsp (2 mL) grated garlic ⁄ tsp (1 mL) Dijon mustard Dash Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil 3 tbsp (45 mL) finely grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
⁄ cup (60 mL) hemp hearts Freshly grated Parmesan for serving (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 F (204 C).
Combine sweet potatoes with 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil, chili powder and salt. Toss to combine. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom, then use a spatula to flip and move to 1 end of baking sheet.
Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels. Toss with 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil, garlic powder and salt. Add to empty end of baking sheet and continue roasting for 20 minutes. Shake pan and roast for 15 minutes longer or until chickpeas and sweet potatoes are both crispy. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
Remove and discard stems and midribs from kale. Tear leaves into bite-size pieces. Place in a bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) oil. Massage kale (kind of like kneading dough) for 2 minutes or until it has so ened and darkened in colour.
For the dressing, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and Worcestershire in a small bowl and whisk in oil until emulsified. Stir in Parmesan, salt and pepper.
Add dressing to kale and toss until lightly coated. Add sweet potatoes and chickpeas, and toss to combine. Sprinkle with hemp hearts and more Parmesan, if desired.
Serves 4 to 6