KALE COBB WITH CASHEW-POBLANO DRESSING

 The summer harvest is winding down. We still get 1 zucchini and a couple patty pan squash daily, and okra - well let’s say we won’t run out any time soon. 

I’ve made 3 batches of tomato sauce and based on what I see on the vine there will be 2 more batches in the future. The winter squash is coming along nicely - so far I’ve counted 25 in various stages (some small, some larger, and some nearly ready to harvest).

My fall crops - turnips, beans, and peas - are doing well however, some critter is eating the beets and I’m not happy - argh! If I can keep them away it looks like we’ll harvest maybe 15 - 20 beets - I would like more but it is what it is. 

We still have kale, swiss chard, parsley, and basil. I’ve replenished the pesto larder (you may remember we had a freezer malfunction where I lost all of my pesto and apple butter - so sad). So I’ve been harvesting basil and giving it to friends - lots of bruschetta going around these days. If you are in the neighborhood stop by and I’ll give you some. 

This Kale Cobb with Cashew-Poblano Dressing is a hearty, vegetarian version of the classic with a creamy, dairy-free dressing. It’s make-ahead friendly and perfect for weekend entertaining or weekday lunches. 

While Dan is not a fan of too much kale - he liked the tomatoes, avocado, and radishes; many of the ingredients in this salad were from the garden.

Ingredients:

½ cup raw cashews

4 large eggs at room temperature

½ cup chopped poblano pepper about ½ of one medium pepper

2 tsp. white miso paste

1 ½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. onion powder

¾ tsp. granulated garlic

½ tsp. kosher salt divided

½ tsp. freshly grated black pepper

1 large or 2 small bunch kale, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

¾ cup halved cherry tomatoes

⅓ cup shaved radish

1 ripe avocado sliced thin

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Instructions:

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let sit for 1 hour.

While cashews soak, prepare boiled eggs by bringing a saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high. Carefully lower eggs into water using a slotted spoon. Cook for 7 ½ minutes, maintaining a gentle boil. Transfer to an ice bath and chill until eggs are slightly warm about 2 minutes. Peel eggs and cut into slices.

Drain cashews, but reserve soaking liquid. Transfer cashews to a food processor (or blender) along with poblano pepper, miso paste, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic, ¼ tsp. of the salt, black pepper, and ½ cup of the reserved soaking liquid. Blend on medium speed, scraping down sides with a spatula and adding more soaking liquid as needed, until dressing is smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer cashew dressing to a small bowl. 

Place kale in a large bowl. Add olive oil and remaining ¼ tsp. salt and use your hands to massage oil into greens until they begin to soften. Leave kale in the bowl or transfer it to a serving platter. Add tomatoes and radish; toss to combine. Top with egg and avocado slices and drizzle dressing overtop. Scatter chives overtop.

Thanks for stopping by!