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Marinated Kale Salad with Braised Tofu, Blood oranges, heirloom carrots, and tamari almonds

Marinated Kale Salad with Braised Tofu

This Marinated Kale Salad features kale marinated in a pickled shallot rice wine vinaigrette topped with soy braised tofu pieces, heirloom carrots, blood orange segments, and tamari almonds.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course, Salad
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 shallots sliced in half moons
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger shredded
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ cup neutral oil I used canola
  • 1 head green kale torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 3 blood oranges segmented
  • 1 purple heirloom carrot peeled and julienned
  • 1 yellow heirloom carrot peeled and julienned
  • 1 batch Soy Braised Tofu see below
  • ½ cup tamari almonds coarsely crushed
  • black sesame seeds for sprinkling
Soy Braised Tofu
  • 1 brick extra firm tofu cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil I used canola
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger shredded
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup sake
  • ¼ cup mirin
  • ¼ cup blood orange juice

Equipment

  • 1 non-stick skillet

Method
 

For the Kale
  1. Place the shallots, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and oil. Stir to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
    3 shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp fresh ginger, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 2 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp salt, ¼ cup neutral oil
  2. Place the kale in a large bowl. Add the shallot mixture and lime juice, and toss to coat. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least an hour or for up to 24. **
    1 head green kale, 1 lime juiced
For the Braised Tofu
  1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering add the tofu. Sear the tofu until golden on all sides. This should take about 5-7 minutes.
    2 tbsp neutral oil, 1 brick extra firm tofu
  2. While the tofu is searing, place the soy sauce, sake, mirin, blood orange juice, garlic, and ginger in a bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour the mixture over the seared tofu and simmer. Braise, flipping the tofu frequently, until the liquid turns into a syrup and the tofu is nice and lacquered. Keep warm until ready to serve.
    2 cloves garlic, 2 tsp fresh ginger, ¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup sake, ¼ cup mirin, ¼ cup blood orange juice
To Assemble
  1. Divide the kale across four bowls and top with the heirloom carrots, the blood orange segments, the Soy Braised Tofu, and the tamari almonds. Finish the salad with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds and serve immediately.
    3 blood oranges, 1 purple heirloom carrot, 1 yellow heirloom carrot, 1 batch Soy Braised Tofu, ½ cup tamari almonds, black sesame seeds

Notes

** You could add the carrots at this point as well if you would prefer them marinated.