Kale is definitely the buzz food of the moment. I love sauteed greens and eat them almost every day, so last nite I swapped my spinach for some kale—and am officially a convert. It doesn’t get wilty/slimy; instead it stays somewhat crisp and chewy. Plus the flavor is so much more intense and veggie-ish—I felt like I was packing in way more nutrients, which I was! (Read the health benefits here.) It’s simple to prepare: steam for a couple minutes until bright green (it’s much tougher than other greens, so softening it up before sauteing helps), saute in olive oil and garlic, and squeeze fresh lemon over it.
Working Class Foodies has some great ideas below, but it seems like all of Tumblr is gaga over kale. Do a search and you’ll see for yourself. Here are some easy preparations I found:
- Kale Chips from Two Dads Cook
- Smoky Kale and Olives from Food and Wine (via Jaclyn Day)
- Kale, Chickpea, and Kidney Bean Soup from Nadia-muses
- Raw, Colorful, Summer Kale Salad from Nadia-muses (she loves the stuff!)
How do you eat kale?
Love this. Kale is so much more exciting than spinach. Yes, that sounds a little douchey - but it’s true. Spinach raw can have a mealy mouthfeel; cooked, it’s almost always rubbery-soft and wet. Kale, in all its varieties, is healthy and delicious raw or cooked: the ribs have a satisfying crunch, even when fully cooked, and the leaves are never mushy.
My favorite way to eat raw kale is to shred it finely and discard the ribs; then toss it with toasted almond slivers and pomegranate seeds. Too fancy? A little good olive oil, a heavy dose of black pepper, a couple squeezes of lemon, a little garlic, and a healthy dose of fresh-shaved parmesan will do the trick.
Cooked? White bean, potato, and kale soup. With plenty of crushed red pepper, garlic, and rosemary. Simmered for at least an hour in homemade vegetable stock with a parmesan rind thrown in to thicken.
You can also lightly toss kale greens with a little olive oil and salt (+ garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, parmesan or pecorino, crushed red pepper, soy sauce, etc.) and spread evenly on a parchment- or silpat-lined baking sheet and bake, slow and low (250ºF), to make delicious kale chips.
(via ljm:theoryofgravity)
