Green's Kale Salad

I finally got around to making the kale salad from Green, my favorite vegetarian restaurant. It was shared by San Antonio Express-News. I halved the recipe (which is what I wrote below) to make a reasonable amount, and used soy sauce instead of Bragg Liquid Aminos (I’d just pared down the pantry and fridge and wasn’t going to buy another ingredient for just one recipe). I also toned down the heat. It’s quick to make, and really fantastic! The kale is sturdy enough that the salad can keep for a day or so if it’s dressed, but I still preferred it fresh.

1 bunch kale
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
1 ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste (to me, that’s a pinch)

Wash the kale in cold water, pat dry, and with a sharp knife, trim off the tough portions of the stems and discard them. Chop the kale into bite-size pieces and place in a large salad bowl; set aside.

Combine vinegar, oil, brown sugar, garlic, Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce and red pepper flakes in a sauté pan. Simmer the mixture over moderate heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and immediately pour the hot mixture over the kale; mix well to thoroughly coat all of the leaves with dressing. Allow kale to sit for 10 minutes or more before serving.