This kale caesar salad, garnished with goat cheese, croutons and chunks of bacon, is delicious
“I wouldn’t trade my worst day sober for my best day drunk.” — Jonathan Gushue
He was a celebrity chef with a handsome face, successful career and a young family but, one night in 2012, he disappeared without a trace for two weeks. Now he’s back with a hot new restaurant and a cautionary tale.
Jonathan Gushue was the chef at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario, named one of the 100 best restaurants in the world. Before that, he was one of the youngest chefs in North America to earn the coveted five-diamond rating at Truffles in Toronto.
Today, Gushue is co-owner of The Berlin, a new treasure in Kitchener. That’s where we met to discuss his struggle with addiction and his ongoing path of discovery.
Here’s a terrific recipe of his that I’ve tweaked in a few spots. I consider it important to massage (or blanch) raw kale for use in salads as this makes it less tough and brightens up the colour. I also added orange juice concentrate to his excellent dressing and offer the option of adding orange segments to the finished salad for tang and slight sweetness.
Kale Caesar Salad
The original recipe calls for sliced hard-boiled egg as garnish; I find it optional but does add protein. I used challah for the croutons because I had it on hand – it turned out to be a tasty tweak. I add the dressing just before serving. This is downright delicious – and good for you!
Dressing:
1/4 cup cashews, toasted
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup olive oil
Salad:
1 large bunch of kale (curly or black)
I tbsp olive or canola oil
1 tsp kosher salt
4 slices bacon, fried until crisp, drained, cut in pieces
2 thick slices bread, cut in cubes, fried in 1 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup goat cheese, in chunks
Segments of 1 peeled orange (optional)
For dressing, blend all ingredients except olive oil in food processor or in bowl with whisk. Gradually blend in oil until thick and smooth.
For salad, wash kale, spin dry and remove tough stems and ribs. Tear into bite-sized pieces. Add to large bowl with oil and salt. Massage with hands a few minutes until softer and brighter green.
To serve, garnish with croutons, bacon, goat cheese and orange segments (if using). Add just enough dressing to lightly coat kale; toss.
Makes about 4 servings.