ROASTED CARROT, KALE, & BAYLEY SALAD WITH CARROT-TOP DRESSING
This salad may appear simple at first glance, but it’s absolutely packed with bold, layered flavors. Bayley Hazen Blue is sweet, nutty, & just a little bit peppery—a combination of qualities that can also be found in each of the other three components of this salad. This overlap in flavor is what bridges the gap between the bright acidity of the dressing, the raw-green flavor of the baby kale, & the richness of the Bayley. The roasted carrots act as an anchor here, equally sweet & savory, a little bit earthy, & almost meaty in texture.
Our carrots didn’t come with their leaves attached, so we used leftover radish tops in our dressing — but you can use almost any fresh, peppery green. Like most of our recipes, this salad scenario can be tailored to suit your needs & the contents of your kitchen. You can replace the almonds with almost any nut; we love the tender-yet-sturdy texture of baby kale, but you could easily use arugula or spinach instead.
10 MINUTES PREP TIME — 20 MINUTES ROAST TIME — 5 MINUTE ASSEMBLY
This recipe is designed to serve 2 as a side salad or 1 as a meal, but can be scaled up to family-sized proportions with ease. You’ll likely have a bit of extra dressing, which will thicken in the fridge & become more pesto-like overnight—save it for breakfast & dollop over crispy-edged fried eggs with buttery grilled toast!
EQUIPMENT
food processor
small metal baking dish / sheet pan
sharp paring knife
large plate or small platter for serving
INGREDIENTS
a few small handfuls of baby kale—6-8 ounces
4 ounces Bayley Hazen Blue
FOR THE CARROTS:
2 medium regular carrots, or 6-8 small young carrots (seen here)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (sweet or hot, up to you!)
FOR THE DRESSING:1 cup rinsed, packed carrot tops/leaves (if your carrots don’t come with their greens attached, you can use radish greens, arugula, or parsley)
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large clove of garlic
Juice from 1/2 of a large lemon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
3+ tablespoons warm water
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Roast the carrots: put your baking sheet on a rack placed as low as it can go in your oven & preheat at 450F. (Preheating your pan guarantees a nice sear on the carrots, giving them a more caramelized exterior without overcooking; placing your rack towards the bottom of the oven will provide the most direct heat).
Halve small carrots, or cut larger carrots into crudité-like batons, then toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper, & paprika. Carefully add the carrots to the preheated pan (cue: satisfying sizzle) & roast for 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until spots are beginning to brown and the carrots start to look a bit shriveled.
Set aside to cool slightly while you assemble the rest of the salad.
2. Make the dressing: add all dressing ingredients except for the water to your food processor & blend for a solid minute or two; the mixture will be fairly thick. Add the water in a slow stream to thin it out a little.
The final consistency should be looser than pesto, but not quite as liquid as a regular store-bought salad dressing—the aim is to dollop, not to drizzle. Add more water if necessary, then adjust salt to taste.
3. Prep the Bayley: normally when it comes to topping salads with Bayley we go for a chunky crumble, but in this case, we recommend shearing off thin slices with a sharp paring knife. These leaf-like shards become silken atop the warm carrots, & add a melt-in-your-mouth quality to the dish.
4. Assemble the salad: cover your serving dish with the baby kale so that it’s spread out evenly, not mounded in the center. Dollop about a quarter of the dressing across the greens. The dressing is intense, so aim for chickpea-sized drops with a decent amount of space between them (but don’t overthink it!).
Arrange the carrots on top of the kale, being careful again to space them out evenly. Top with a few more dollops of dressing, then add your Bayley shards (don’t worry if they fall apart a bit!)
