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California Soul, Holland’s most recent cookbook, fuses food traditions of the American South and West. Here, Southern stalwarts like pecans and peaches meet a classic Californian kale salad. To turn it into a main dish, just throw on some grilled shrimp, chicken, or spicy sausage.
For Chef Holland, peaches always bring back memories of her father’s favorite dessert, peach cobbler, while pecans are a nod to her mother’s beloved pecan pie. And she’s not alone in thinking that this is the ultimate fruit and nut combination. (If you want to extend the shelf life of your nuts, store them in the refrigerator.)
While most salads need to be prepared right before serving, kale is a unique exception. It actually gets better when it’s massaged with the dressing in advance. So feel free to make this salad up to 2 hours before serving, and enjoy the flavors of California and the South in one delightful dish.
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What you’ll need
Blender
$45 $40 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6
$29 At Amazon
Rimmed Baking Sheet
$28 At Amazon
Chef’s Knife
$115 At Hedley & Bennett
Tongs
$19 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
30 minutes
Yield
4–6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast ½ cup pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 6–8 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.
Step 2
Toss 2 large bunches Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced, with 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Massage leaves until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Step 3
Toss 1½ large ripe peaches, thinly sliced, with 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice in a small bowl to coat. Set aside.
Step 4
Blend 3 Tbsp. Champagne vinegar, 2 tsp. hot honey, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, remaining 1½ large ripe peaches, thinly sliced, and remaining 6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a blender until smooth and emulsified.
Step 5
Pour dressing over kale. Add pecans, 4 oz. Gouda, coarsely chopped, ½ cup torn mint leaves, and reserved peaches; toss to combine. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and season with more pepper.
Recipe notes
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