.: Kale

Kale

Kale is so versatile and can be substituted for nearly any green in a recipe. It easy to grow and keeps giving all season long. It can be planted pretty early and harvested through many frosts. It will become a little bitter during the summer and sweeten back up as the weather cools down. Keep it protected and next spring you can harvest a little more until the grand finally of being graced with delicious little broccoli type flowers which means the plant is going to seed.

Frost Kissed Kale...tastes sweeter!

I think just about everybody has heard of Kale by now! Such a versatile green or purple! We grow all kinds and that's what you get in a bag of Chez Nous Kale. It a regular addition to our juices and smoothies and most often just lightly steamed or sauteed and seasoned a little with oil, butter or Tamari. The internet is swamped with Kale recipes!

A few not so common of our favorite Kale recipes:

This one is from a great blog called 365 days of Kale . It is loaded with Kale recipes.
This recipe is delicious and was added to our family recipe book!

It has 3 layers of potatoes. It's a must if you like Indian spiced dishes. We ate it with a chickpea stew and some plain yogurt. This recipe would be just as good cooked as an oven potatoes dish with cubed potatoes.

Roasted Potato Kale Curry

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely minced (or 1/4 teaspoon powdered)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
Pinch salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
8 cups kale, rinse well, remove large thick stems and chop (a medium chop is ok, 1-2 inches)
4 medium to large potatoes, peeled (or not - I did not) and thinly sliced (1/8-1/4 inch, thinner will take less time to cook all the way through)
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

Heat oil in a large non-stick oven proof skillet over medium heat. (I used my large cast iron skillet for steps 1-3.)
Add onion, garlic, ginger and spices. Saute until onion is softened.
Add kale and saute until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Take off heat.
Preheat oven to 425°F. (I did this before I started chopping the vegetables)
Arrange 1/3 of the thinly sliced potatoes on the bottom of a medium cast-iron skillet, overlapping so that none of the skillet is showing through.
Spread 1/2 of the kale mixture over the potatoes.
Arrange the next 1/3 of the potatoes over the kale mixture, making sure to overlap again.
Spread the remaining kale mixture and top with the last batch of thinly sliced potatoes.
Press down with a wide spatula until nice and compact.
Pour olive oil over top.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Cut into wedges and serve.

For this kale recipe and many many more go to:
http://www.365daysofkale.com/2012/03/roasted-potato-kale-curry.html

Kale Chips:

Cheesy Kale Chips

This next recipe has been popular with members:

Eat your Greens Meatloaf from The Book of Kale

This makes a delicious meatloaf...and can take more Kale than the recipe asks...would make delicious

meatballs just double or triple the sauce!

Eat your Greens Meatloaf from The Book of Kale

2 pieces of sturdy bread

1/2 c. (125 ml) milk

1/2 tsp. (2 ml) salt

4 c. (1 l) kale leaves

1/2 c. (125 ml) onion

1 lb. (454 g) lean ground beef (subs with any ground meats you like)

1 lb. (454 g) lean ground pork

1 large egg

2 tsp. (10 ml) Dijon or grainy mustard

salt & black pepper

1/2 tsp. (2 ml) fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. (5 ml) dried basil

1/2 tsp. (3 ml) dried oregano

1/2 c. (125 ml) parsley

Optional Glaze:

1/2 c. (125 ml) ketchup

2 tbsp. (30 ml) brown sugar

1 tbsp. (15 ml) tamari or soy sauce

Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk and salt in a large bowl. Let stand for about 10 minutes until the bread soaks up the milk and the mixture is soft.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

Cut the kale leaves into a chiffonade, long thin strips, if using a knife. Chop onion. Mince herbs.

Add the remaining ingredients to the bread and milk. Mix well, then pile evenly into a lightly greased casserole or a large loaf pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

For the glaze, combine ingredients and brush or spoon evenly on top of the loaf after it has baked for 20 minutes.

* Changes I made I pureed the onions and cooked longer until the sauce was really baked on.

This recipe is a keeper and tastes even better the next day!

blue curled scotch kale

Popular Tuscan Kale

Gujerati Kale Bharta

The Book of Kale by Sharon Hanna

Unique and very flavorful... like much “Indian sauce like” dishes so a little goes a long way –it’s a side eaten with Raita a cold and refreshing yogurt sauce and some flat bread or rice with a side of meat.

Ingredients

8 cups of Kale chopped ( you can use a food processor)

1 small rutabaga or turnip peeled and cut in small dice ( I used Hakurei)

1 cup of water

1 tsp of salt

3 Tbsp butter or ghee for frying

1 onion finely chopped

1 Tbsp ginger Root finely minced ( I grate mine)

1 tsp paprika or chili powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp cayenne

2 tsp garam masala (spice )

Juice of 1 lemon

About ½ cup of cashews ( any nuts…I used almonds)

Raita sauce ( now this I changed a bit because I am used to making my own)

1 cup of yogurt

8-10 mint leaves ( other herbs work well too)

1 green onion ( I used a garlic scape and I often use garlic powder)

½ apple chopped fine ( I usually use grated and dabbed dry cucumber )

Salt pepper

½ tsp sugar ( I don’t usually add this but did this time)

I added ground cumin because I love the stuff and it goes good with this.

Simmer greens and turnip in a covered pan with 1 cup of water and salt.

When tender remove from heat and mash

Heat ghee or butter in a skillet. Lightly fry onion, ginger, paprika or chili powder, cumin seeds and cayenne for about 5 min.

Add the mashed greens and cook until green are really well cooked keep adding water a little at a time until the greens are really soft. Just before serving stir in garam masala, lemon juice and sprinkle nuts on top.

Serve with Raita, flat bread/ tortilla, rice etc..

This next recipe is a lot easier than it sounds and the dough is really easy to handle!

Ligurian Kale, Chard & and Potato Torta

from The Book of Kale by: Sharon Hanna

Residents of the Ligurain area of Italy still bake flattish pies like these over an open fire. Although it may seem as if there are a lot of steps, the result is eminently satisfying both for you and anyone else invited to share. Each step is easy, but make this when you have some time to spend in the kitchen. The crust is adaptable to other fillings such as fruit.

Crust::

11/4 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter, softened

Cold water

Filling:

3/4 cup feta, crumbled

3/4 cup Jarlsberg or other mild soft cheese, grated

1 potato boiled, peeled, chopped and cooled

1 small onion, minced

3 tbsp parsley, minced

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups of Kale leaves, loosely packed, cut small

2 cups chard leaves, loosely packed, cut small

Salt, to taste

2 eggs slightly beaten

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

Crust:

Mix together dry ingredients, drizzle oil over top, add butter, then combine well with a fork. Sprinkle water on a little at a time, adding up to a maximum of a 1/2 cup, to form a soft dough that just holds together. Knead the dough for about 30 sec, then wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. ( You can make the crust in advance and store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to a day)

Filling:

Mix cheese,potato, onion and parsley in a bowl seasoning with pepper.

Cook the greens in a small amount of water until al dente. Drain in a colander, squeezing our as much liquid as you can(- which can be saved for soup or smoothies). Let stand 5 min then squeeze out even more liquid. The last thing you need is a soggy torta.

Add greens to cheese/ potato mixture. Depending on the saltiness of the feta cheese, it may be salty enough, but you can taste it now and add a pinch or two if you are so inclined.

Stir in eggs and 1 Tbsp of Olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 F

Remove dough from fridge and divide into two equal portions, one slightly bigger than the other. On a lihjtly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out larger ball to form a thin circle, approx 13 inches in diameter, turning dough occasionally. It doesn't need to be perfectly round. In fact, it looks more rustic and authenctic if it's a bit wonky.

Place the bottom sheet on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Gently pile filling on top, then use your hands or a flat spoon to distribute it evenly.

Now, roll out the top crust ( which is slightly smaller) then lightly moisten the bottom crusts edge and and place newly rolled piece on top, then pinch with your finger to seal the two together. Pierce the surface here and there with a fork or knife to let the steam escape.

Brush or drizzle torta with remaining olive oil. Bake until pale golden, about 30-35 minutes.