Kale salad with golden raisins and walnuts

1/2 c walnut pieces
1/4 c golden raisins
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp water
1/4 c coarse breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
Coarse or kosher salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 bunch tuscano kale, washed and patted dry
2 oz pecorino cheese, grated
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly ground black or redpepper flakes, to taste

Prep walnuts: Heat oven to 350. Toast nuts on baking sheet for 10 min, tossing once. Let cool and coarsely chop. Prep raisins: In small saucepan w low heat, simmer white wine vinegar, water and raisins for 5 min, until plump and soft. Set aside in liquid.Prep crumbs: Toast bread crumbs, garlic and 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a skillet together with a pinch of salt until golden. Set aside. Prep kale: Trim heavy stems off kale and remove ribs. Stack sections of leaves and roll them into a tube, then cut them into very thin ribbons crosswise. Assemble salad: Put kale in a lg bowl. Add pecorino, walnuts and raisins (leaving any leftover vinegar mixture in dish), remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and lemon juice and toss until all the kale ribbons are coated. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and some of the reserved vinegar mixture from the raisins, if needed. Let sit for 10 min before serving, to help the ingredients come together. Just before serving, toss with breadcrumbs and, if needed, a final 1 teaspoon drizzle of olive oil.

This recipe is from From "Smitten Kitchen). (and our friends at Provider Farm)