For all those who can't wait to nibble at the skin when the turkey comes out of the oven, these cracklings are for you. You won't believe how insanely delicious they are as the star of this salad. Don't be surprised if you start buying turkey thighs on a regular basis, just to make cracklings.
•When freezing the skin, try to spread out the pieces as thinly as possible in a resealable plastic bag to make them easier to cut after you remove them from the freezer. If you can't cut the skin right away, straight from the freezer, wait just a couple of minutes; it thaws fast.
•Cracklings can be cooked 2 days ahead. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered. Reheat in a small sheet pan in a 325°F oven or in a small heavy skillet on top of the stove.
•Turkey fat, like all poultry fats, contains palmitoleic acid—a monounsaturated fatty acid—that is thought to boost the immune system. The rendered fat remaining from making the cracklings can be used to sauté vegetables to give them an extra-savory flavor.
•The kale can be washed and dried a day ahead and kept chilled in a resealable plastic bag. The trimmed leaves can be thinly sliced 4 hours in advance and kept chilled in the same bag.
