major stems from a bunch of kale, then shredding the leaves into bite-sized strips Some folks make the false assumption that it’s the acid in the dressing or marinade that causes the tough leaves to tenderize Actually, it’s the oil that does the job (See “Vinaigrettes,” here, for more on this.) Plant leaves naturally have a waxy cuticle on them in order to protect them from rain Haven’t you seen rainwater falling on a leaf? It rolls straight off, like water off a duck’s back But this cuticle is oil soluble, so when you massage oil into a pile of kale leaves, it removes the coating, allowing the cells underneath to acquire some controlled damage, thereby softening them The question then is this: is it necessary to pretenderize the greens with straight oil before dressing them, or can the dressing alone do the job? I tried it both ways, making a couple big batches at the office for folks to try (any day when there are extra greens in the office is a happy one) The first I tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, massaging the oil into the leaves and letting the kale rest for half an hour before tossing it with the dressing The second one I tossed with the dressing alone (adding extra olive oil, salt, and pepper to compensate) and served it up immediately As kale sits dressed in oil it slowly softens, turning from tough to tender, until it is salad-ready The results were pretty conclusive: presoftened greens have a superior texture, coming out tender and crisp, as ...As kale sits dressed in oil it slowly softens, turning from tough to tender, until it is salad-ready The results were pretty conclusive: presoftened greens have a superior texture, coming out tender