Kale, Apple & Cashel Blue Salad for St. Patrick's Day

With St. Patrick's Day around the corner, I've been musing on a new dish that incorporates Irish ingredients. This delicious kale salad with crisp fresh apple and creamy and mild Irish Cashel blue cheese really hits the spot!

I wanted to tenderize the dinosaur kale beyond a raw kale salad (can be a little too bitter) and found the perfect solution. I placed the kale leaves in a colander and poured boiling water over them (my favorite way to barely cook spinach). The result was perfect - a tenderized kale that still maintained it's texture. I then removed the stems and chopped the leaves.

I created a citrus vinaigrette using a citrus-champagne vinegar with a high quality extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt and pepper. I tossed the kale with cubed crisp apple, hazelnuts (filberts), and crumbled creamy but pungent Cashel Blue cheese and the vinaigrette. What an amazing salad combination taste and texture wise! And, a healthy option!

It's been quite a while since I posted to Albion Cooks. As regulars will know, I broke my arm which really limited my cooking adventures. Then I had an awful bout with the flu and was shamefully living off microwavable cauliflower and brussels sprouts. Thanks to all for their kind inquiries and well wishes! I'm back!

This Cashel Blue cheese is so good, I plan to do another couple of recipes with it. It would be so good with Brussels Sprouts!

And I highly recommend it spread straight on an oaty cracker! Enjoy!