Crostini and Kale Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 whole wheat french baguette, cut into ½ inch slices½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup Balsamic vinegar
• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow pepper thinly sliced
• 1 green spicy pepper thinly sliced
• 4 king oyster mushrooms thinly sliced
• 12 oz. salmon skin and bones removed
• 4 scallions chopped
• 3 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 lemons freshly squeezed
• 2 oranges peeled and sliced, saving core for dressing
• 4 oz. kale thinly chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a baking sheet pan with parchment paper and place sliced bread on top. Place ¼ cup of olive oil and ½ cup of balsamic vinegar in a large bowl. Brush the bread with the mixture and stick in oven for 6-8 minutes.
2. Add the peppers and spicy pepper to the large bowl with marinade and mix well. Place a large skillet on high heat. Add the peppers (without the marinade) and saute for 5 minutes, mixing periodically. Place peppers in a small jar.
3. Add the mushrooms to the marinade and mix well. Once peppers are removed, add mushrooms to skillet and saute for 3 minutes. Place in another jar.
4. Wipe out the skillet and place back on high heat. Add remaining olive oil and get hot. Sear salmon for 3 minutes per side. Remove and pull apart and place on plate, mix with scallions.
5. Divide the remaining marinade among the pepper and mushrooms jars and add 1½ tablespoons of honey, ½ tablespoon thyme and ½ teaspoon of salt to each and mix well. Add fresh lemon to the peppers, mushrooms and fish.
6. Remove bread from oven and place on large cutting board with the variety of crostinis and toppings. (Brie with charred red peppers, Cream cheese with scallions and salmon, goat cheese and mushroom salad)
7. After the crostinis are prepared, add kale to a large salad bowl. Add remaining peppers, mushrooms (with their marinade) oranges and scallions to the bowl and mix well.

Notes & Tips:

• Another way to serve this is to not “dress” each piece of bread but to make all the toppings and place them in jars on a cheese board, with the cheeses, some fresh grapes, figs, apples, the breads, olives and dates and it will take this whole experience up a notch!

The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.