Kale
There are many kinds of kale - Radical Roots Farm grows the three pictured here. You can eat all kale raw, although many people prefer their kale cooked. But raw kale (in salads) is healthy and delicious! The Red Russian is probably the best variety raw (and cooked too!).
There are also many ways to cook kale. Most people discard the larger center stem, although some eat the entire leaf and stem. When kale is young, the center stem is more tender. It toughens as the plants grows larger.
Some people sauté their kale, others like to steam or parboil it. Enjoy experimenting - kale will be available all season long (and into the winter) and it is one of the healthiest greens you can eat.
Kale does not cook down as much as spinach or other greens. One bunch is a good size serving for 2 people.
KALE STEM HUMMUS
Kale Stems Aren’t Trash—They’re Your New Favorite Dip
BY JOE SEVIER
Blanch and blend kale stems into a hummus-inspired spread that'll make you regret all the stems you've tossed over the years.
I didn't need a pandemic to encourage me to try and cook every edible thing that comes into my apartment; but being home with dwindling ingredients and long stretches of time before I make another trek to the grocery store—or worrying that some produce I add to my online shopping cart may never show up—has certainly given me a reason to seriously consider if I'm doing all I can to make the most out of what I have.
Kale stem "hummus" is of my favorite ways to make something delicious out of an item that could easily end up in the trash. It's not actually hummus, of course, because it doesn't contain any chickpeas. But, a little tahini, lemon, and olive oil go a long way to give those stems a bright, round flavor that can make them into a surprising contender for your new favorite workday lunch.
To make the dip, you'll need to blanch the stems first. (Raw stems are too fibrous to make a kale dip with really great texture.) After you've torn the leaves away and used them in whatever dish you've used them in, you can store the stems in a resealable container for up to 5 days (depending, of course, on how long the whole kale had already been sitting around). Stems also freeze really well, and can be blanched straight from the freezer if you'd like to store them longer.
Raw Ranch Kale Salad with Roasted Squash Croutons
Recipe by Lisa Mason of Fiddleheads Cuisine
Serves 6
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the pumpkin with the oil, and salt. Place in one layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until browned and crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
3. Remove stalks from kale, wash and dry leaves. Tear or chop into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl.
4. Blend the dressing ingredients (cashews through parsley) in a blender until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
5. To serve, dress the salad to coat the kale and toss in the pumpkin croutons. Taste and adjust with salt to taste.
Here is a link to some other wonderful KALE SALAD recipes!
Simple Sautéed Kale
Rinse kale well in large bowl of warm water; place in colander. Drain.
Trim and discard tough stem ends. Smaller stems can be chopped and cooked (healthy and delicious!) Chop (or rip) kale into bite size pieces.
Add 1 - 2 tablespoon of olive oil to large, heated skillet. Heat oil; add kale. Cook and stir over medium-high heat 5 - 7 minutes until wilted and tender (older leaves may take slightly longer).
Variations:
Kale with Pan-Fried Walnuts (or any nuts of your choice)
Ingredients: Kale, Walnuts, Olive Oil, Garlic
Tear kale into large pieces, then cook in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain kale, and, when cool enough to handle, press out excess liquid.
Cook walnuts in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add kale and salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing, until heated through. Serve kale warm or at room temperature.
If you like Kale in your Smoothies, here is a link explaining how to make Frozen Kale Cubes for smoothie-action all year long!
Kale Chips
Preheat oven to 250°F. Remove stem from kale leave and tear into pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, but not burnt. Bake time will vary – shake pan every ten minutes – total time should be around 30 minutes. Transfer leaves to rack to cool. You can also season with Parmesan cheese, paprika, or you can toss them before baking with cider or balsamic vinegar and oil.
HINT: Our neighbor Cindy makes kale chips in her microwave –and they come out delicious and bright green!
Sweet Kale Chips
from the Domestic Diva
KALE AND RICE CASSEROLE
(Thanks to Mary Ashcroft for the basis of this recipe, which we recently used on an episode of What's Cooking Rutland, on PEG-TV.)
GRILLED COCONUT KALE
By Sam Sifton, Adapted from Vij’s Restaurant, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Thanks to Sharon Nimtz for sharing this recipe from the New York Times.
2. In a large pot set over a low flame, heat the coconut milk until it is thoroughly mixed and just lukewarm. Transfer to a large, nonreactive bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the kale, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
3. Preheat a grill or a cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Remove the kale from the refrigerator and stir to make sure the leaves are well covered in marinade. Using metal tongs, place the kale on the grill in a single layer. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the leaves are sizzling, then turn over and grill the other side for another 45 to 60 seconds, or until the leaves have visibly softened. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Kale Waldorf Salad
www.onegreenplanet.org
Whisk together the vegan mayo, mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper.
Chop or use your hands to tear kale into small pieces.
Pour dressing over the kale and massage for about 5 minutes.
Toss the rest of ingredients with the kale and let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Season more with salt and pepper as needed.
Salad ingredients tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so when serving be sure to grab the fruit and nuts from underneath the kale. Salad will be better the next day and will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Note: Since the size of a bunch of kale varies, you may need more dressing. After massaging the kale, taste a piece to determine if you want to add more.
There are also many ways to cook kale. Most people discard the larger center stem, although some eat the entire leaf and stem. When kale is young, the center stem is more tender. It toughens as the plants grows larger.
Some people sauté their kale, others like to steam or parboil it. Enjoy experimenting - kale will be available all season long (and into the winter) and it is one of the healthiest greens you can eat.
Kale does not cook down as much as spinach or other greens. One bunch is a good size serving for 2 people.
KALE STEM HUMMUS
Kale Stems Aren’t Trash—They’re Your New Favorite Dip
BY JOE SEVIER
Blanch and blend kale stems into a hummus-inspired spread that'll make you regret all the stems you've tossed over the years.
I didn't need a pandemic to encourage me to try and cook every edible thing that comes into my apartment; but being home with dwindling ingredients and long stretches of time before I make another trek to the grocery store—or worrying that some produce I add to my online shopping cart may never show up—has certainly given me a reason to seriously consider if I'm doing all I can to make the most out of what I have.
Kale stem "hummus" is of my favorite ways to make something delicious out of an item that could easily end up in the trash. It's not actually hummus, of course, because it doesn't contain any chickpeas. But, a little tahini, lemon, and olive oil go a long way to give those stems a bright, round flavor that can make them into a surprising contender for your new favorite workday lunch.
To make the dip, you'll need to blanch the stems first. (Raw stems are too fibrous to make a kale dip with really great texture.) After you've torn the leaves away and used them in whatever dish you've used them in, you can store the stems in a resealable container for up to 5 days (depending, of course, on how long the whole kale had already been sitting around). Stems also freeze really well, and can be blanched straight from the freezer if you'd like to store them longer.
Raw Ranch Kale Salad with Roasted Squash Croutons
Recipe by Lisa Mason of Fiddleheads Cuisine
Serves 6
- 1 bunch kale (about 10 stalks)
- 4 cups winter squash or pumpkin, 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 Tbs. coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked at least 4 hours
- 6 Tbs. water
- 1 1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 small garlic clove
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
- 2 Tbs. chopped parsley
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the pumpkin with the oil, and salt. Place in one layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and roast, tossing once, until browned and crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
3. Remove stalks from kale, wash and dry leaves. Tear or chop into bite size pieces and place in a large bowl.
4. Blend the dressing ingredients (cashews through parsley) in a blender until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.
5. To serve, dress the salad to coat the kale and toss in the pumpkin croutons. Taste and adjust with salt to taste.
Here is a link to some other wonderful KALE SALAD recipes!
Simple Sautéed Kale
Rinse kale well in large bowl of warm water; place in colander. Drain.
Trim and discard tough stem ends. Smaller stems can be chopped and cooked (healthy and delicious!) Chop (or rip) kale into bite size pieces.
Add 1 - 2 tablespoon of olive oil to large, heated skillet. Heat oil; add kale. Cook and stir over medium-high heat 5 - 7 minutes until wilted and tender (older leaves may take slightly longer).
Variations:
- Add garlic and/or onions (or leeks or scallions) to the oil and sauté lightly before adding kale.
- Add cooked meat and/or tofu.
- Add other vegetables (carrot, mushrooms, etc.) to the oil and sauté lightly before adding kale.
Kale with Pan-Fried Walnuts (or any nuts of your choice)
Ingredients: Kale, Walnuts, Olive Oil, Garlic
Tear kale into large pieces, then cook in a large pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain kale, and, when cool enough to handle, press out excess liquid.
Cook walnuts in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add kale and salt and pepper to taste and cook, tossing, until heated through. Serve kale warm or at room temperature.
If you like Kale in your Smoothies, here is a link explaining how to make Frozen Kale Cubes for smoothie-action all year long!
Kale Chips
Preheat oven to 250°F. Remove stem from kale leave and tear into pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until crisp, but not burnt. Bake time will vary – shake pan every ten minutes – total time should be around 30 minutes. Transfer leaves to rack to cool. You can also season with Parmesan cheese, paprika, or you can toss them before baking with cider or balsamic vinegar and oil.
HINT: Our neighbor Cindy makes kale chips in her microwave –and they come out delicious and bright green!
Sweet Kale Chips
from the Domestic Diva
- 1 bunch of Kale.
- 2-6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 good pinches or to taste Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Pepper
- 1/4 Brown Sugar
- 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 4 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- Nutmeg- whole is best.
KALE AND RICE CASSEROLE
(Thanks to Mary Ashcroft for the basis of this recipe, which we recently used on an episode of What's Cooking Rutland, on PEG-TV.)
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1-2 bunches kale, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- small onion, minced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ lb. cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ stick butter, melted
- 2 teas Worcestershire
- 1 teaspoon dried or fresh herbs of your choice (ex. basil, marjoram, thyme)
- Salt and Pepper
- 4 eggs beaten
- 2/3 cup milk
GRILLED COCONUT KALE
By Sam Sifton, Adapted from Vij’s Restaurant, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Thanks to Sharon Nimtz for sharing this recipe from the New York Times.
- 3 bunches kale
- 3 13.5-ounce cans coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1 teaspoon mild paprika
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2. In a large pot set over a low flame, heat the coconut milk until it is thoroughly mixed and just lukewarm. Transfer to a large, nonreactive bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the kale, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
3. Preheat a grill or a cast-iron grill pan over high heat. Remove the kale from the refrigerator and stir to make sure the leaves are well covered in marinade. Using metal tongs, place the kale on the grill in a single layer. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, or until the leaves are sizzling, then turn over and grill the other side for another 45 to 60 seconds, or until the leaves have visibly softened. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Kale Waldorf Salad
www.onegreenplanet.org
- 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Dash sea salt and black pepper
- 1 bunch kale, washed and leaves removed from stem
- 1 cup red grapes, sliced in half
- 1 cup chopped apple
- 2 celery stalks, cut on diagonal
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, pan-toasted
Whisk together the vegan mayo, mustard, lime juice, salt and pepper.
Chop or use your hands to tear kale into small pieces.
Pour dressing over the kale and massage for about 5 minutes.
Toss the rest of ingredients with the kale and let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Season more with salt and pepper as needed.
Salad ingredients tend to fall to the bottom of the bowl, so when serving be sure to grab the fruit and nuts from underneath the kale. Salad will be better the next day and will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Note: Since the size of a bunch of kale varies, you may need more dressing. After massaging the kale, taste a piece to determine if you want to add more.