A Battle of the Greens!

Kale Caesar with Caesar Sauteed Shrimp

Kale and lettuce: two leafy competitors in the salad world. While lettuce often takes the crown in popularity, kale boasts some impressive benefits that might just make you reconsider your leafy loyalties.

 

First up, let’s talk about kale. This leafy green powerhouse is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium, making it a nutritional champion. It’s also a great source of antioxidants and fiber, which can help support digestion and overall health. Plus, kale’s sturdy leaves hold up well in salads, making it a hearty base for your greens. Kale grows amazingly well in my Alaska garden. I often have some much of it, that my chickens are the lucky recipient of it for snack time!

 

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On the other hand, lettuce, while still nutritious, doesn’t quite stack up to kale in terms of vitamins and minerals. It tends to be lower in calories and fiber, which may leave you feeling less satisfied after a meal. While I love a classic green lettuce salad, if left out too long or dressed too early, I find that the leaves can become a bit wilty, droopy and sad. Kale, on the other hand, keeps that crispness for quite some time!

 

 

Now, let’s dive into the origins of Caesar dressing. This creamy, garlicky dressing is a classic favorite, but its beginnings are a bit murky. Legend has it that the dressing was created in the 1920s by Caesar Cardini, an Italian chef living in Tijuana, Mexico. As the story goes, Cardini whipped up the dressing on a whim when he ran low on ingredients, using what he had on hand to create a deliciously tangy dressing that would become a staple in salads around the world. There are many different versions of Caesar dressing, but I like this homemade version, made creamy with mayonnaise.

 

If you’ve never had a Kale Caesar, may I suggest you start with this one? I’ve added some Caesar Sauteed Shrimp as the perfect protein to pair with this scrumptious salad.

 

Ingredients
    • 1 bunch of kale
    • 12-15 Medium size shrimp
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
    • 1 tbsp Worcestershire
    • 1 tsp anchovy paste
    • 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 1/4 cup Parmesan, finely grated
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp pepper
    • 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, coarse grated
    • 1/2 cup croutons

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
    1. In a large bowl, combine lemon juice, worcestershire, anchovy paste, Dijon, garlic and finely grated Parmesan and mayonnaise. Combine thoroughly.
    2. Drizzle in olive oil slowly while whisking. Continue whisking until all of the olive oil is incorporated.
    3. Add salt and pepper, mix – taste and figure out if you want more pepper, salt, lemon etc. Set aside.
    4. Clean kale and remove stems. Tear kale into bite size pieces, massage leaves and set aside in large salad bowl.
    5. Pat Shrimp dry with paper towel.
    6. Heat a saute pan to medium high.
    7. Add 2 tbsp olive oil.
    8. Add shrimp and lightly season with salt and pepper.
    9. Sauté shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip over.
    10. After flipping, add about 4 tbsp of the Caesar dressing. When shrimp are cooked through, remove from heat and set aside.
    11. Dress kale with remaining Caesar dressing.
    12. Add the remaining Parmesan cheese, croutons and shrimp and toss to combine.
    13. Serve immediately and enjoy the benefits of kale in this delicious Caesar salad!
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