Donna Lennard is the founder of il Buco and one of the defining figures of downtown New York dining. Since opening il Buco in 1994, Donna has slowly and thoughtfully built a hospitality group founded on passion, great ingredients, and welcoming vibes. The business includes il Buco Alimentari in NYC, il Buco outposts in Amagansett and Ibiza, il Buco Vita shops, and a line of il Buco pantry staples.
Here, she shares a recipe from her cookbook, il Buco: Stories & Recipes. This kale salad is also a favorite at her restaurants, and Donna says it’s never leaving the menu!
Don’t miss Donna’s book!
Ingredients
Makes 6 to 8 servings
6 anchovy fillets, packed in olive oil, minced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 large egg yolk
1 to 2 lemons
4 (1-inch) slices day-old filone bread, torn into 1½-inch chunks
Fine sea salt to taste
2 bunches (about 2 pounds) Tuscan black kale, stems discarded, leaves torn, rinsed and dried
3 ounces freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Catch Donna on Radio Cherry Bombe!
Method
Place the anchovies and garlic in a mortar and pestle and blend together. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the olive oil, the vinegar, and egg yolk. Stir in the anchovy mixture. Slowly drizzle 1 cup olive oil into the egg mixture whisking continuously to form an emulsion. Whisk in the juice of 1 lemon; add additional lemon to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the bread on a sheet pan. Toss the pieces with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toast on the middle rack of the oven until golden, approximately 15 minutes.
To assemble, add the croutons to a large bowl and toss with half the vinaigrette. Add kale, the rest of vinaigrette, a squeeze of lemon, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt to taste. Toss well and serve, topping with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and black pepper to taste
From Il Buco: Stories & Recipes by Donna Lennard & Joshua David Stein. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins.
Please note, some of our links may earn us a small commission.