California restaurant shares kale slaw recipe

4/6/2014

Dear SOS: I am in love with the kale slaw from Balboa Cafe in Mill Valley, Calif. That dish was actually what turned me on to kale, but I can’t find a salad as good. I love visiting Northern California and especially going to Balboa Cafe for the kale slaw. So I can also enjoy it at home, do you think you can get the recipe?

For this slaw, incredibly simple to make, thinly sliced kale is tossed with colorful carrots, red cabbage, and fresh fennel, then coated with a light but tangy dressing. Toasted walnuts are added at the end for added crunch. Balboa Cafe was happy to share its recipe for the salad, which is perfect served as a side or light meal.

Kale Slaw

Time: 30 minutes. Yield: About 12 cups

Dressing:

1⅓ cups mayonnaise

1 small clove garlic, minced

3 tablepoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons pumpkin seed oil

Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, cider vinegar, and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This makes a generous 1½ cups dressing, which will keep, covered and refrigerated, up to 5 days.

Kale slaw:

2 bunches lacinato kale (also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale, or cavolo nero), tough ribs removed and cut crosswise into thin strips

2 cups grated carrots

2 cups shaved red cabbage

1½ cups shaved fennel

Dressing

Salt and pepper

1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

In a large bowl, combine the kale, carrots, cabbage, and fennel. Add 1 cup dressing, tossing to coat; add additional dressing, a little at a time, to coat the salad as desired. Taste and season with one-eighth teaspoon salt and pepper, or as desired. Toss with the walnuts before serving.

Approximately values per 1-cup serving: calories, 210; protein, 4 grams; carbohydrates, 9 grams; fiber, 2 grams; fat, 19 grams; saturated fat 2 grams; cholesterol, 8 mg; sugar, 2 grams; sodium, 199 mg.

Source: Adapted from Balboa Cafe in Mill Valley, Calif.