Kale Salad with Balsamic, Pine Nuts, and Parmesan

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup cranberries dried sweetened whole chopped (or golden raisins or currants)
• 0.3 cup pinenuts (can substitute slivered almonds)
• 1 pound destemmed lacinato/dinosaur kale fresh dry rinsed (also called Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale)
• 0.3 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 3 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar 
• 1 Tbsp honey 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper 
• 0.3 cup parmesan cheese packed grated

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• knife
• whisk

Directions

1. Toast the pine nuts:
2. Heat a small skilled on medium high heat.
3. Spread the pine nuts in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Then remove to a bowl to allow to cool.
4. Hint when toasting nuts: do not take your eyes off of them! Nuts can go from browned to burned very quickly.
5. Prep the kale: Use a sharp knife to cut out the tough midrib of each kale leaf, and discard or compost. Slice the leaves crosswise into thin, 1/4 inch wide, slices.
6. The easiest way to do this is to work with a small bunch of leaves at a time, stack the leaves and roll them into a loose cigar shape. Then using a sharp knife, work from one end of the "cigar" to the other, slicing a 1/4 inch off from the end.
7. Place the kale slices into a large bowl.
8. Make the dressing: In a smaller bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, rice vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper.
9. Dress the kale and toss with nuts and cranberries: A half hour to an hour before serving, toss the kale together with the toasted pine nuts, the dried cranberries, and the dressing, allowing the kale to marinate a bit.
10. Right before serving, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese.