Charred Kale & Fennel Salad with Charred Lemon Dressing

Charred Kale & Fennel Salad with Charred Lemon Dressing

Welcome back to Episode 3 of my Farm Fire Food series with Mangaroa Farms.

This one’s inspired by a tip from the fire-cooking legend himself, Charly Pretet of Terra Firma Dining, a globally renowned fire chef. He once told me that kale cooked over fire holds the scent of smoke beautifully — and he’s absolutely right. The result is something wildly delicious.

All the ingredients for this recipe come fresh from Mangaroa Farms — a regenerative farm where everything is grown with soil health and flavour in mind. When food is grown regeneratively, it doesn’t just nourish more deeply — it tastesbetter too.

This salad is fresh, smoky, crunchy, and topped with the most moreish charred lemon dressing. It’s simple, quick, and completely addictive.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 3–4 large handfuls of kale, de-stemmed
• A drizzle of olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, finely sliced
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds

For the charred lemon dressing:

• 1 lemon, halved
• 50ml extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cracked black pepper

Method

1. Light your fire
   When the embers are glowing and ready to cook over, start by toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over the fire. Shake the pan occasionally. Once they’re golden and popping, remove from heat and set aside.
   
2. Char the lemon
   Place the halved lemon cut side down on the grill over the embers. Let it char until softened and nicely blackened on the cut side. Set aside to cool slightly.
   
3. Prepare the kale
   In a large bowl, toss the kale with a drizzle of olive oil, the chopped garlic, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Using tongs, lay the kale across the grill. Turn frequently until it’s lightly charred and just tender – still with a bit of bite (al dente). This takes just a few minutes.
   
4. Make the dressing
   Squeeze the juice from the charred lemon into a small bowl. Add the olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and whisk or shake until emulsified.
   
5. Assemble the salad
   Lay the charred kale on a serving platter. Scatter over the toasted pumpkin seeds and sliced fennel. Drizzle generously with the charred lemon dressing.

To Serve

Eat it warm, straight off the fire, ideally with something grilled alongside. Pairs beautifully with steak, lamb, or even halloumi.