Pierce Abernathy is a recipe developer, content creator, and model based in Brooklyn, New York, and most importantly, a serious Bean Freak. We are excited to explore his new book Every Leaf, Every Stem, Craveable, Creative Vegetables all Year Long. 

CHARRED LEMON DRESSING

• 2 lemons, halved crosswise
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 small garlic clove

SALAD

• 1 bunch of kale
• 1 cup Crispy Chickpeas (below)
• ½ cup Castelvetrano olives, pitted (or whatever olives you like)
• ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
• ⅓ cup almonds, preferably Marcona
• ¼ cup Sumac Pickled Onions (below) 
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• ¾ cup chopped seedless cucumber
• 1 Asian pear, cored and chopped
• Serves 4 to 6

1. Make the dressing: Heat a small cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the lemon halves, cut-sides down, and cook until charred on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the lemons from the skillet. Juice the lemons into a small blender or food processor; discard the spent peels. Add the olive oil, capers, salt, and garlic and blend until smooth.

2. Make the salad: Remove the stems from the kale by grasping the leafy part and pulling off the stem. Thinly slice the stems and set aside. Lay the leaves on top of each other in a bunch, then thinly slice crosswise. Place the sliced leaves and stems in a large bowl, then add the crispy chickpeas, olives, feta (if using), almonds, pickled onions, celery, cucumber, pear, and half of the lemon dressing. Toss to combine, then taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and/or dressing.

Crispy Chickpeas

• 11/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and dried very well
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chickpeas on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes, until they’re truly dry on the outside. Remove the chickpeas from the oven, drizzle with the olive oil, and season with the cumin and salt. Toss to coat, then return to the oven and bake, tossing once halfway through, until crispy, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Sumac Pickled Onions

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  
• ½ cup flavored vinegar, such as sherry or apple cider
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
  
• 2 teaspoons sumac

MAKES ABOUT 2 ½ CUPS

In a medium saucepan, combine both vinegars, ¾ cup water, the sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Add the onions and sumac to the brine, then remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool completely. Transfer the onions and brine to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Reprinted from Every Leaf, Every Stem, Craveable, Creative Vegetables all Year Long by Pierce Abernathy. Copyright © 2026 by Pierce Abernathy. Reprinted by permission of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.