Kale

By Wendy Gordon

Every year is different in my vegetable garden. Some veggies wimp out, others produce abundantly. This year, the kale is growing tall, strong, and continuously.

Kale is a sturdier version of spinach - chewier, with an astringent bite. It is a fabulous source of vitamins A and C, and a decent source of iron, calcium, vitamin K, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese. The curly leaves of kale* trap dirt and need to be washed well. You can substitute other greens (spinach, chard, collards, mustard) for the kale called for in any of these recipes, but the cooking time and taste will be slightly different.

Tender small kale leaves work best in this delicious recipe, one of my favorites:

Citrus Wilted Greens

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale, chopped in half inch slices
• 3 T. olive oil
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• 2 oranges, peeled, seeded and chopped (blood oranges are optimal)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over low-medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until caramelized. Add the garlic and sauté after 1-2 minutes.
2. Add the greens and allow to wilt, stirring, occasionally. Putting a cover over the pan speeds the process. I use a covered wok, which works really well.
3. When the greens are wilted, remove from heat, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and toss in oranges. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The following recipe tastes good as a chilled salad or as a cooked vegetable:

Sesame Greens

• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. toasted sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T. fresh ginger, grated
• 2 lbs. kale, washed well and coarsely chopped
• 1 T. tamari sauce
• 1 T. toasted sesame seeds
• dash cayenne pepper

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan or wok. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned.
2. Add kale and continue to cook, adding a sprinkle of water if necessary and turning occasionally. Again, it helps to cover the pan.
3. When kale is almost tender, stir in sesame oil, tamari, sesame seeds and red pepper.

The following recipe calls for cannellini beans, but will work equally well with fresh shelling beans or chickpeas. Ideally, cook your own beans from scratch, but in a pinch canned beans work fine, too.

Kale with Cannellini Beans

• 2 lbs. kale, washed well
• 1 small onion, diced finely
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (substitute dried if necessary)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper
• sea salt to taste
• parmesan cheese, grated

1. Blanch the kale until crisp-tender in boiling water (about 2 minutes). Drain and chop coarsely.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onion until soft, add the garlic, pepper flakes and rosemary. Sauté for another minute.
3. Add the wine and cook until sauce is reduced to a syrupy texture.
4. Add the beans and kale plus enough cooking water to prevent burning (which shouldn't be much). Heat through and season with salt.
5. Serve with a dash of grated parmesan.

*Note: The non-curly variety called Dinosaur Kale works just as well in all kale recipes.