Warm kale, bacon and potato salad

We’ve seen a lot of kale come through our kitchen this winter. And to be honest, I’m getting a little tired of it: bring me summer and fresh lettuces, dandelion greens, mizuna, arugula and the rest.

But, that’s the future and as long as kale keeps finding its way into our fridge, I’ll keep looking for ways to dress it up.

I made this last week for a quick solo supper and was genuinely surprised as how good it turned out. Of course you can’t go wrong with bacon, but I really liked the way all the flavours came together, especially the little kick of the mustard.



Warm kale, bacon and potato salad

1 small bunch kale
4-5 slabs thick-cut bacon, cut into lardons
1 pound fingerling potatoes
2 small shallots, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
¼ Cup or so dry white wine
1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard (I used horseradish mustard for an extra kick)

Halve potatoes, toss with olive oil and salt and roast on a oiled baking sheet in a 400F oven for 30-40 minutes until tender and crisp on the outside. Let cool.

In a Dutch oven, fry bacon until well-browned to crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel-lined bowl, drain excess fat (leave about a tablespoon behind), add shallots and garlic and cook until just starting to turn golden brown. Add to dish with bacon.

Add white wine to pot and deglaze pan. Reduce liquid by half, then whisk in mustard and simmer a bit.

Add kale to pot and toss until well coated with sauce and just starting to wilt (you want to keep some of the crunch so only give it a minute or two tops). Toss in bacon, shallots, garlic and potatoes. And transfer the lot to a serving bowl.