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Kale Salad with Puffed Rice

a bowl of kale salad with puffed rice, manchego cheese, sunflower seeds and a lemon chive dressing
  • Serves:  8
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  1 hr 15 min

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked long-grain rice, (we like wild grain)
  • 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
  • 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (from 2-3 lemons)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for massaging kale
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
  • 2 bunches kale, stemmed and roughly torn (curly or Tuscan kale)
  • 3 ounces manchego cheese, grated
  • ⅓ cup roasted salted sunflower seeds

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 250°F with a rack in the center position.
  2. Spread the cooked rice out in an even layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Bake the rice for about 2 hours, tossing every 30 minutes or until dried out.
  3. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of a large, heavy pot. Add the oil to the pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil reaches 425°F, working in small batches, add the baked rice to the oil and cook until the rice is puffed, about 10-15 seconds. Using a metal fine mesh strainer, transfer the puffed rice to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining rice. Once the puffed rice is cool enough to handle, break up any clumps and set aside. 
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, sugar, and salt. Slowly pour in the 6 tablespoons of olive oil, whisking constantly, until emulsified. Stir in chives.
  5. Add the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Massage the kale until tender, about 3 minutes. Top with the dressing, the puffed rice, ¾ of the manchego, and ¼ cup of the sunflower seeds, and toss to combine. 
  6. Serve the salad topped with the remaining manchego and sunflower seeds.