Potato and Kale Salad
Potato and Kale Salad
I was inspired to make this salad because of a soup. It’s a Portuguese soup make with kale, potatoes and sausage. It can be made with chorizo, linguica (Portuguese sausage), or even kielbasa. I opted to make a salad, using many of the same ingredients. I had a bunch of kale and thought it would make a tasty and healthy addition to my potato salad. For the dressing, I used many of the same seasonings I use to make chorizo. You can add the sausage to the salad, or leave it on the side and let people add their own. That way, the salad works for vegetarians, too. I had a friend over last night to try it. She really liked it. I hope you do, too.
Potato and Kale Salad
2 lbs. potatoes
1 lb. kale
6 oz. cooked chorizo, or other sausage, optional
Dressing:
½ c. red wine vinegar
1 T. parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
1½ t. salt, or a little more to taste
2 t. paprika
1 t. oregano
½ t. cumin
¼ t. cinnamon
Pinch of allspice
Pinch of cayenne, or to taste
½ c. oil
1 T. sugar, optional
Cook potatoes, peel and cube. I like to cook potatoes in the microwave or bake them in the oven. If I cube them up and then boil them, I always find the potatoes get overcooked. Cook them any way you like. Place cubed potatoes in a bowl and set aside to cool down. Remove the stems from the kale and discard. Wash kale and chop coarsely. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Place kale in water for 1 minute. Remove kale and drain well. Place kale in cold water to stop the cooking. The idea is to wilt the kale but not to cook it much. Once the kale is cooled down, drain it well, squeeze dry and chop into smaller pieces. Place in bowl with the potatoes. If adding chorizo, place in bowl with the potatoes, too. Place vinegar, garlic, salt and spices in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the oil in a slow stream to make a creamy dressing. I thought it tasted fine the way it was, but you might like the added sugar. You can also make the dressing using an immersion blender. Pour as much of the dressing as you like, over the potatoes and kale and toss to blend. I had a little leftover. Chill until ready to use. You might need a little more salt. I like a slightly spicier salad and would also serve hot sauce with the salad so folks can add their own.
