- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup golden raisins
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, smashed & peeled
- 1/2 lb kale, thick ribs cut out, leaves torn into big pieces
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried chile flakes
- 2 slices bread, grilled
- whipped ricotta (see below), fresh sheep or goat cheese
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped lightly toasted walnuts
Put vinegar and raisins in a little bowl and let raisins plump for 1 hour.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly to toast the garlic so it's very soft, fragrant, and nicely golden brown - but not burnt - about 5 minutes.
Add the kale leaves to the pan; if they won't all fit at once, just add a few handfuls and toss them with tongs until they're wilted, and then add the rest. Season with salt and black pepper, add a splash of water, and cover the pan. Cook over medium heat until the kale is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan at this point, uncover the pan, increase the heat, and boil most of it off. Add the raisins and vinegar and chile flakes and toss well. Taste. Remove from the heat, pour in a healthy glug of olive oil, and let the kale cool. This is best served 1 to 2 hours later. It's also fine to make a day ahead; just be sure to bring to room temperature.
Spread the grilled bread with a thick layer of the whipped ricotta or fresh cheese. Top with a juicy mountain of kale and sprinkle the walnuts on top. Finish with a thread of olive oil.
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Whipped Ricotta
makes about 1 1/2 cups
"spreadable flavor machine, incredible with tomato salads and perfect on flatbreads ... it keeps well, so store some in your fridge; you will always find ways to use it."
- 1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
Put the ricotta, salt, and 20 twists of pepper in a food processor and start to process. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Pause and scrape down the sides if needed. The mixture should get lovely and creamy. Taste it and adjust with more salt, pepper, or even a bit more olive oil - you should be able to taste the oil as well as the ricotta. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.