Ingredients

  • 1 head garlic, plus a dash of salt and olive oil
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 medium sunchoke
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon grated horseradish root

Method

  • Turn the oven to 375 and prep the garlic for roasting: slice off the very top of the garlic head, remove as much of the papery coating as possible, and break into cloves. Arrange in a small dish and sprinkle with salt and olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When a thin knife easily slides through one of the cloves, the garlic is done: remove from the oven and allow to cool.
  • Meanwhile, wash and thoroughly dry the kale. Cut the leaves in half lengthwise and remove the rib down the center. Slice horizontally into thin strips, so they are less than a half-inch wide. Slice the sunchoke into thin but not quite translucent disks, and set aside with the kale.
  • Squeeze the garlic out of their cloves into a blender. Add the lemon juice, egg yolk, cheese, black pepper and 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and blend. Pour in the remaining oil through the top of the blender as it whirs. Stir in the horseradish. Taste and correct for seasoning. Due to the cheese, it may not need any salt. Note: you can adjust the quantity of roasted garlic if you find it frightening.
  • Toss the dressing with the kale, sunchokes, and walnuts (I am a big advocate of coating the salad bowl with dressing first, adding the vegetables, and then turning the salad about with tongs to coat everything). While the salad is tasty right away, it's better after two hours or so. Enjoy cool or at room temperature.