Apple and Cheddar Crisp Salad

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1 small shallot, minced
• 3 tbsp (45 g) apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp smooth dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp (15 g) mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt
• 6 tbsp (80 g) olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crispy stuff

• 1 cup (115 g / 4 oz) sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
• 1 cup (85 g) sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cayenne

Salad

• 5 oz (140 g) kale leaves, any variety, stems removed, cut into thin ribbons
• 1 large crisp apple, halved, cored, and thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Drop the minced shallot into a medium bowl with the vinegar and let it sit — it lightly pickles while you handle everything else.
2. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment. On one side, spread the grated cheddar into a roughly 8×12-inch layer about 1/4 inch thick; a dusting of cayenne or black pepper on top is optional but nice.
3. Now the odd-sounding trick that works: rinse the almonds in a colander under cold water and shake them mostly dry. Toss the damp almonds with the powdered sugar, salt, and cayenne until coated, then spread them thin on the other side of the pan, leaving an inch of bare parchment around them.
4. Bake 4–9 minutes, checking at 4 and then every minute or so — both go from pale to perfect to burnt fast. You want the cheddar melted into a lacy, deep-golden crisp and the almonds lightly golden with darker edges. Cool on the pan.
5. Finish the dressing in the shallot bowl: whisk in the dijon and mayo (or yogurt), then stream in the olive oil while whisking. Season well with salt and plenty of black pepper.
6. Toss the kale with about two-thirds of the dressing, taste, and add more if it needs it. Fan the apple slices over the top.
7. Break the almonds into clusters and scatter over the salad. Blot the cheddar crisp with a paper towel if it looks oily, then tear or cut it into big bite-size shards and tuck them in. A last hit of salt and pepper, and serve right away.

Notes

This makes nearly double the crispy stuff you need — on purpose; the extras disappear as snacks. The almonds keep a week airtight at room temperature; the cheese crisps keep best lightly covered in the fridge; the dressing lasts several days refrigerated. Slice the apple just before serving. If cheddar and almonds brown at different speeds in your oven, put them on separate parchment so you can pull one early. Any lettuce works if kale isn’t your crowd’s thing, and pepitas can stand in for the almonds.