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Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini

Charred Kale With Citrus and Green Tahini recipe
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova

Enough with having to give free massages to stubbornly tough greens. In this dish, a quick char in a hot skillet tempers the raw edge of kale and balances its vegetal flavor.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup tahini
1 small garlic clove
7 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup (lightly packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems
Kosher salt
2 bunches curly kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into big pieces
2 large oranges or small grapefruit (or a mix!)
⅓ cup store-bought crispy shallots or onions
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blend vinegar, tahini, garlic, 5 Tbsp. oil, and 5 Tbsp. water in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add cilantro and purée until very smooth and bright green. Season dressing with salt.

    Step 2

    Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Add half of kale to skillet and cook, undisturbed, until charred underneath and bright green, about 1 minute. Continue to cook, tossing once or twice, until kale is charred in spots and only partially wilted, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with remaining kale and 1 Tbsp. oil.

    Step 3

    Drizzle half of dressing over kale and toss to coat. Taste and season with salt.

    Step 4

    Using a paring knife, remove peel and white pith from citrus, being careful not to remove too much flesh. Slice citrus however you want, working to avoid the central axis, which contains most of the seeds (you can slice into ¼"-thick rounds or cut into 1" pieces; they don’t need to be an exact shape or size). Scatter citrus over kale.

    Step 5

    Drizzle salad with more dressing (you’ll probably have some left over). Top with crispy shallots and sesame seeds.

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