October 17 Meal: Cold Kale is Just Alright

Our friends planned a crab-picking for Sunday night and all we had to bring was a side.  I decided on the Kale and Smoked Bacon Salad with Zinfandel Vinaigrette.  How could I go wrong with bacon?  Everything about this salad is something I like, but when it all came together it was somewhat disappointing.  The kale is cooked and then quickly cooled in an ice bath.  I've never had cold kale before, but I think this may have been the aspect of the dish that I didn't enjoy.  I even purchased a salad spinner for this part of the recipe so that the excess water could be spun off.  Shaun had agreed to the purchase because we were both jealous of friends every time they pulled the contraption out when we were over for dinner.  The salad is completed with crispy bacon and a dressing made from diced shallots, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and a bit of the drippings from the cooked bacon.  In total, the salad was edible, but nothing I really enjoyed eating.  I heated up some of the leftovers the next day and I actually enjoyed that a lot more.  So, maybe a good variation would be a hot kale salad.

Yumminess: 5 out of 10 (cold)

Cost: Approx. $15 for 12 servings

Time: Bon Appetit said 50 minutes for prep and total and I spent about the same amount of time.

Was it worth it?: Probably not, unless I try the hot-dish variation.