Healthy Recipe: Kale Salad with Lamb & Granch

Spring Lamb Salad with Kale & “Granch” Dressing

Recipe by Ivy Manning | Photo by Erin Kunkel

Light but satisfying, this kale and lamb salad celebrates spring flavors. It’s an impressive dish to serve for brunch, but comes together easily. Both the pickled onions and “granch”—Greek yogurt ranch—can be made in advance. Seriously, you’re going to want to put that creamy, tangy dressing on everything (salads, sweet potato fries … dream on).

Shopping tip: Ask your butcher to cut thick steaks from a leg of lamb (about 1½ inches/4 cm thick). Or simply substitute the leanest lamb chops you can find, and trim any excess fat. Leftover steak is delicious in salads, too.

INGREDIENTS

For the pickled onions:
½ red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ teaspoons sugar
1½ teaspoons pickling spice (optional)

For the dressing:
¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) low-fat buttermilk
¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) low-fat Greek yogurt
1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 small clove garlic, minced

1¼ lb (625 g) boneless leg of lamb steaks, 1½ inches (4 cm) thick, fat trimmed
8 cups (8 oz/250 g) baby kale leaves
3/4 cup (3 oz/90 g) frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
1/2 cup (2½ oz/75 g) frozen peas, defrosted
4 large radishes, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the pickled onions, place the onion in a pint jar or glass container. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) water with the vinegar, 1½ teaspoons salt, the sugar, and pickling spice, if using, and bring to a boil over high heat. Pour the pickling solution over the onion and set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Or cool, cover tightly, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

To make the dressing, in small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, mint, chives, garlic, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Season the lamb all over with salt and pepper. Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the lamb to the pan and sear until medium rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a steak should register 130°F/54°C.) Place the lamb on a plate, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.

In a large bowl, add the kale, drizzle with the prepared dressing, and toss to coat the leaves. Set aside for 5 minutes, to let the leaves soften. Divide the dressed kale between 4 plates. Drain the pickled onions and sprinkle over the leaves. Arrange the artichoke hearts, peas, radishes, and lamb on top. Grind with pepper and serve.  

Makes 4 servings

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories 403
Protein 48 g
Total fat 15 g
Saturated fat 5 g
Carbs 22 g
Fiber 6 g
Total sugar 4 g
Sodium 746 mg