This raw kale salad uses Lemon Juice to “marinate” or “cook” the leaves to tenderize them while infusing them with more flavor. The butternut is diced and roasted to make crunchy and tender “croutons”.
Make a dressing with the juice of 1 lemon and an equal amount of olive oil. Whisk in 1/2 t. salt. Press 1 large peeled clove of garlic and add to the marinade. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes.
Cut the stem end (the end with no seeds) of 1 butternut squash off and peel it. Slice into rounds, then cut each round into small cubes.
Toss the squash in a large bowl with 1 T. olive oil, 1 t. sesame or hazelnut oil, 1 T. soy sauce and a generous amount of black pepper.
Arrange the squash in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the squash cubes and then continue cooking another 10-15 minutes. They should be crunchy on the outside and soft inside. Allow to cool.
While the squash is cooking, remove the stems from 1 bunch or bag of Curly Kale and rinse the kale well, then spin dry.
Tear the kale leaves into bite-sized pieces and then toss with the dressing. Toss again every five minutes or so — if the kale absorbs all the dressing immediately, make more dressing. There should be extra at the bottom of the bowl while it is marinating. It should marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Toast 1/2 C. chopped walnuts in a cast-iron skillet or in the toaster oven.
Thinly slice apples to make 1/2 C.
Drain any excess dressing from the kale and reserve. Add the warm (but not hot) squash, the apples and the walnuts. You can also add crumbled goat or blue cheese.
Taste the salad and add some of the reserved dressing if you like, but remember that it will make the squash soggy.