why is everything here? when the universe was born, it was born in two parts: matter and antimatter. the problem being whenever matter met antimatter, they annihilated each other. we shouldn't be here and yet, here i am writing this and you, reading it. we are, in essence, the little bit of leftover stuff. the lack of balance. the imperfect design that was exactly right.
you, me, pine trees, planets, kookaburras, tuscan kale. tuscan kale! thanks to asymmetrical origins, we have curly, crenelated, dark-vein-of-jade tuscan kale--the heady pheromone of earth. we have you and me to eat and appreciate it, because you and I like mysterious, pungent, crunchy junk like that. we're asymmetrical.
this issue of why everything in the universe is here was not exactly on my mind when i settled into a plate of artichoke hearts and homemade burrata at gjelina in venice, california. i was thinking about what it would feel like to swim in a pool of olive oil.
then came the daintiest heap of tuscan kale. those enormous, unruly leaves condensed into a lacy chiffonade, black as ancient moss on a clean white plate, strewn with radishes, fennel, ricotta salata shards, and a luscious slurry of lemon juice and olive oil for emphasis and contrast. i didn't think to thank disorder and imbalance. in fact, i didn't come up for air until the plate was white all over again.
i was in los angeles for the purpose of seeing radiolab's live performance on symmetry at ucla. do you know radiolab? it is a radio show and podcast that, by their own definition, weaves stories and science into music-rich documentaries. to me, they uncover magic and jerk tears. my mom bought me tickets as a valentine's gift, and then she bought me caramelized onion, gruyere, and arugula pizza. further evidence that i lucked out in the mom department.
in one night, i scraped the last bits of syrupy strawberries and rhubarb, polenta crumble, and almond gelato from a staub gratin, and watched zoe keating's fierce and graceful arms make this song erupt from a cello on stage. she calls the song optimist, and that i am. an asymmetrical optimist who always wondered why the world, and its tuscan kale, was so bizarrely beautiful. now i know. a little off is how the good stuff happens.
notes & recipe
* visit gjelina on the web, or at the address above.
* for more information on radiolab, visit them on the web. they plan to broadcast the show symmetry, i'm just not sure when.
tuscan kale salad
(2 large or 4 smaller servings)
1/4 cup homemade breadcrumbs, or panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons + 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch tuscan kale
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
juice from 1 small lemon
red pepper flakes
4 medium radishes, thinly sliced (1/8 inch or less)
1 bulb fennel, inner core removed, thinly sliced (1/8 inch or less)
4 ounces ricotta salata
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
place a medium skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. when the oil is shimmering (but not smoking), add the breadcrumbs. toast the breadcrumbs, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown. remove from the skillet and set aside at room temperature.
trim the kale stems off (up to the leaf) and discard. slice the kale, including the inner rib, into 1/4 inch ribbons. place the kale into a large salad bowl.
smash the chopped garlic using a mortar and pestle or the back of a knife to form a paste. add the lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil and a pinch of salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. whisk to combine.
scatter the radishes and fennel over the kale and toss with the dressing. using a vegetable peeler, shave your desired amount of ricotta salata over the salad. toss again. let the salad sit for at least five minutes before serving. drizzle each salad with a little extra olive oil and a finger twist of sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper before serving.
(the foundation for this recipe came from melissa clark's recipe for raw tuscan kale salad published in the new york times, and again in her book, in the kitchen with a good appetite. adaptations were made based on the salad served at gjelina)