RHS Recipes: Kale & Apple Salad with Kale Pesto

This is the simplest way to use kale (in my opinion!) and is a great trick to have up your sleeve when you want quick easy greens but have no salad leaves in the fridge.

By massaging the kale in lemon you begin to break down the structure - making it easier to digest, tastier and more nutritious (lemon + greens = maximum nutrition).

Ingredients

• 160g kale leaves

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• ¼ tsp lemon zest

• 1 apple, finely sliced

For the pesto

• 75g kale, stalks and all

• 25g parsley, stalks and all

• 50g pumpkin seeds

• 15g parmesan cheese

• 120ml extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Take the stalks out of kale, reserving the leaves. Place them in a medium bowl

2. Pour the lemon juice over the leaves, and massage them for around a minute. The leaves will go from hardy and fibrous to soft and glossy - stop before they turn mushy, and stir through the lemon zest

3. Now start on the pesto. Roughly chop the kale and parsley, then add to a blender

4. Add the pumpkin seeds, parmesan and oil, blitzing till you have a fine sauce. Taste, add plenty of black pepper and a little salt and blend again

5. Taste again and adjust the seasoning till you’re happy

6. Add the massaged leaves to a plate, then top with the apple slices and dollops of pesto.