Kale and Cranberry Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries, halved
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 bunch kale, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, combine cranberries, brown sugar, salt, and orange juice. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Place the chopped kale in a large bowl and massage by hand until the volume is reduced by half and the kale is tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Once the dressing has finished marinating, add it to the salad with the olive oil and toss.
4. Top with walnuts and serve.

We prepared this pesto the baked it in the oven on sourdough toast topped with fresh grated Seco cheese from Dos Lunas and ground black pepper. Divine!

Green Tomato Pesto on toast with melted cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 medium green tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, packed
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 sweet onion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, onion, and olive oil in a blender and puree on high until smooth.
2. Season with salt to taste.

This gazpacho capitalizes on the best that early summer produce has to offer.

Green tomato gazpacho (Photo:Gabirel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 4 large green tomatoes
• 2 medium cucumbers
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 clover garlic
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 sprig of mint
• 1 medium purple pepper for garnish, diced
• 1/2 small sweet onion for garnish, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine green tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, cilantro, and mint in a blender adding enough water to create a smooth consistency.
2. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste
3. Serve garnished with diced purple peppers and onion.

This is a recipe is the love child between tomatillo salsa and Peruvian Aji Verde. You can serve it like a Peruvian Aji to add heat and flavor to any dish but it is also mild enough to consume in larger quantities with chips like a typical Tex-Mex salsa.

Green Tomato Ají

Ingredients

• 5 medium green tomatoes
• 1 large jalapeno, seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 sweet yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a high-speed blender until thoroughly processed.
2. Serve immediately

Mango Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 small avocados, diced
• 1 medium mango, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, minced
• 1 spring onion, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Massaged Kale Salad

Massaging raw kale with a slightly acidic dressing helps tenderize this somewhat tough green so it can be eaten raw.  This light salad is great for warm days and it packs a ton of nutrition.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 4 cups curly kale, chopped coarsely
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 green onion, diced
• 1 green garlic, diced
• 1/4 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• handful of mint, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Using a fork or whisk, mix together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients along with the dressing in a large bowl.
3. Mix and massage with clean hands until the kale is nice and tender, about 3-4 minutes.