Kale Salad with Ricotta Salata

Larry and I spent all day yesterday at San Diego Hospice, finishing our volunteer training. It was an emotional roller coaster of a day, as I imagine much of our time will be once we begin our volunteer service. There were about fifty of us, a large group of folks with a wide variety of backgrounds, all drawn to hospice work for just as many reasons, no doubt. It was an emotionally draining day, and each meal and snack seemed an especial treat.

The terrific staff who trained us were incredibly skilled, sensitive and insightful. They even anticipated how eagerly we would attack the trays of morning scones and muffins, followed by baskets of brownies and freshly baked cookies for our afternoon breaks.

After all that sugar, I craved a simple salad for lunch today. Lucky enough to have received a case of assorted winter greens from “Cut N Clean Greens” earlier this week, I prepared this salad, using some of their rainbow organic kale. Since the greens were already washed, chopped and sliced, this came together in five minutes. Thank you, “Cut N Clean Greens”, for inspiring me to create my kale salad with ricotta salata.

Serves 1

• 2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon shallot, finely chopped
• kosher salt and/or ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons ricotta salata, coarsely grated
• 2 cups organic rainbow kale, washed, chopped and finely sliced

1. Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, shallot, salt and pepper.

2. Pour the dressing over the kale. Sprinkle salad with ricotta and toss. Serve.