Tuscan Kale Salad

For the bread crumbs

1/2 Italian-style loaf of bread

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad

Juice of 1 lemon

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, mashed

Salt and pepper, to taste

Hot red-pepper flakes, to taste

4 to 6 cups Italian black kale, loosely packed and midribs removed (also called dinosaur kale and available at high-end grocery stores)

2/3 cup grated pecorino Toscano cheese, or any other flavorful grating cheese such as Asiago or Parmesan, divided use

1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs

To make bread crumbs, heat oven to 300 degrees. Cut bread into cubes and scatter on a baking sheet in 1 layer. Bake 15 minutes, or until cubes feel dry on the outside but still moist inside. When cool, place bread in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup firmly packed bread crumbs. Save any remaining for future use.

Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a saute pan over medium heat just until warm, not hot. Add reserved bread crumbs and stir to coat with oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are evenly golden brown and crunchy, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool before tossing into salad.

For kale salad, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and a generous pinch of hot red-pepper flakes. Pour dressing over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add two-thirds of the cheese and toss again. Let mixture sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

Servings: 4.

Nutritional values per serving: 452 calories, 28 g fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 11 g protein, 39 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 1,595 mg sodium, 56 percent calories from fat.

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