Kale is totally the new black.
Just kidding, however it does seem to be popping up everywhere. Restaurants are piling it on pizzas, and juice stands are adding it to sweet smoothies. Who would’ve thought?
I can’t remember the first time I tried kale, but I know that it was shortly after becoming a vegetarian. My new focus on vegetables steered me into new corners of the grocery’s produce section, and the bunch of thick, dark, curly leafy greens no doubt captured my interest.
Until recently I always prepared kale the same two ways, either as “chips” baked in the oven or as a spinach substitute in omelets, stir fry, sautées, etc.
However, since moving to Austin, sampling many restaurants, and scanning even more menus, I have come to realize how versatile the vegetable really is. Restaurants here simply aren’t afraid to use it. My favorite kale discovery thus far has been kale pizza from Cipollina Bistro. It was absolutely incredible with the perfect salty-to-sweet ratio. Once again I left the restaurant dreaming of the dish and eager to recreate the flavor at home.
The result–kale pasta:
Whole wheat pasta of choice (I prefer bowties) + sautéed kale, cloves of garlic (heavy on the garlic), lemon juice, lemon zest (in lieu of preserved lemon) + balsamic reduction + goat cheese
My version was good, but unfortunately not blue ribbon material. I think the preserved lemon was key.
So what’s all the hype about kale?
Food Facts kudos World’s Healthiest Foods:
- Belongs to the same family as cabbage, collards, and Brussels sprouts (Brassica Family)
- Cruciferous vegetable like broccoli and cauliflower
- Rich in antioxidant (cartenoids and flavonoids) and anti-inflammatory nutrients
- Helps lower cholesterol (especially when steamed)
- Great source of vitamins A, B6, C, and K, as well as dietary fiber, manganese, and calcium
Kale Comes in Many Forms
*To enhance kale’s phytonutrient concentration and therefore get the most health benefits, sprinkle with lemon juice and let sit for a minimum of 5 minutes before cooking.
(More tasty kale recipes can be found here.)
If you have a great idea for cooking kale, please leave me a comment.
Elizabeth 
September 10th, 2010 at 8:49 am
Great post!
I’m cuckoo for kale! I love kale salads (massaged in oil and sea salt), kale in a green smoothie and while I love kale chips baked in the over, they are even better in a dehydrator (tossed in some Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and tahini) YUM!
September 10th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I use it often in my cooking too. Cooking it makes the texture much more pleasurable for me.
September 10th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Elizabeth,
Love your posts – keep it up!
September 10th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
I’m a huge fan of kale. I have a huge preference to darker leafy greens over lighter ones like iceburg lettuce, so kale is often a cornerstone in my salads. Great post!
September 13th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
I love kale and luckily they grow it a lot around here (north Germany). My favorite dish is my hometowns tradition “Kohl und Pinkel” (I can’t translate that name, sorry) it’s cooked kale with a special sausage.
As for a recipe tip:
savoy potato casserole with ewe’s cheese, almonds and sage leafs.
September 14th, 2010 at 10:59 am
Elena, the potato casserole sounds delicious! How do you prepare it? Also, what seasoning do you use in the kale dish?
September 15th, 2010 at 5:41 pm
Elizabeth, please excuse my poor English I rarely have the opportunity to use this wonderful language in my everyday life and had some trouble while translating the recipe.
Savoy potato casserole with eve’s cheese, almonds and sage (for 4 people)
1 kg savoy leafs, 1 kg potatoes, 250g eve’s cheese, 100g almond slices, 4 cloves of garlic, 3-4 tbs.sage leafs, 2 tbs. butter, salt pepper, 100 ml cream, 100 ml milk, 1 liter water
Wash the savoy leafs, cut in quarter (lengthwise) and cut out the strong rip in the middle.
Bring 1 liter water (lightly salted) to boil.
Boil the savoy leafs for 5 minutes, lift out the leafs and let them dry on paper towels. Cut the leafs in 2×4 cm stripes. Keep the vegetable water.
Peel the potatoes, cut them in slices and boil them for 3 minutes in the vegetable water.
Crumble the eve’s cheese and put some aside to cover the top layer of the casserole.
Cut the garlic cloves in slice and the sage leafs in stripes. Heat 1 tbs. of butter in a skillet and braise the garlic slices, almond slices and sage stripes. Let them dry on a paper towel. Put some aside for later use.
Oil/butter a casserole dish and add (loose) layers of potato and savoy. Start with a layer of potato. Season the casserole after each layer of savoy with salt and pepper and sprinkle it with garlic, almonds, sage and eve’s cheese. (Repeat till all potatoes and savoy is used.)
Mix milk and cream and pour it over the casserole.
Sprinkle the casserole with the last of the eve’s cheese.
Set flakes of butter (~ 1 tbs.) on top.
Bake in the oven at 320°F (160°C) for 20 minutes.
Spinkel the casserole with the last of garlic, almonds and sage and bake for another 20 min.
Enjoy some intense flavor.
Seasoning or the kale dish: strong broth, garlic, salt, pepper, pimento, onions (braised lightly), oat/barley groats