In all the millions of times I’ve been to Five Leaves, I must confess I rarely stray from the same order. A bowl of fries (regular - none of that fussy truffle oil), oysters or a salad and a glass of red or rose, depending on the season.

So what I fool I felt when I finally ordered the kale salad.

I do love a kale salad. But I’m used to mine, which is tangy, zesty, rice vinegary and gingery.

Theirs is a creamy, spicy nest of the thinnest, darkest kale strips. More dressed than I prefer my greens, but no matter, because the lingering heat at the end of every bite keeps you coming back for more.

Really, it’s just a bunch of kale with a very grown up caesar dressing. Take care when choosing your kale. Baby kale is ideal. Red Russian and Toscano will do. But by all means, steer clear of curly kale. I made this mistake once and even with the garlicky goodness of the dressing, it was a bit to choke down.

Ingredients

1/2 a head of garlic, minced
2 eggs
Juice from 3/4 lemon
1/4 c olive oil
Black pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
4 oz grated parm
1 small jalapeno or other hot pepper
1 tin of anchovies + oil they’re packed in

Method

1. Blend pepper + garlic + oil + anchovies with an immersion blender.

2. Fill a small pot with water to cover 2 eggs and bring to a boil. Poke a hole in each egg with a pin. Once water boils, add eggs to water and cook for 90 seconds.

3. Remove eggs and crack into a bowl. Be sure to get all the egg, cleaning the shell with a spoon in order to get the thin layer of cooked white that will stick to the inside. Beat well.

4. Add lemon juice and oil mixture to eggs and mix well. Add black pepper and cayenne to taste.

5. Dress greens well. Top with grated parm and serve.