Dawn's corn thread request makes me want a KALE Thread. I heart kale.

Roasted kale worked perfectly the first time for me. After that, it's been a fiasco.

Not sure what I'm doing different, but it comes out ultra-bitter now.

I've stopped wasting the expensive stuff on roasting and put it in soups or freeze it for smoothies.

 
This one sounds like Thanksgiving side potential for me... REC: Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Gratin

I like that it roasts the cauliflower first... it smacks of Popcorn Cauliflower and I loves me some of that! There are a few things I could see I would want to tweak for us, but as a jumping off point, I like what I see!

Roasted Cauliflower and Kale Gratin

Ingredients:
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• juice of ½ lemon
• 1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• 8 oz pancetta, cut into large dice
• 1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
• 2 leeks, green part removed, cut into rounds
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• 1 bunch black kale, ribs split, cut into 2” pieces
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons flour
• 1½ cup milk
• 8 oz crème fraiche
• 1½ cup grated Gruyere or Grana cheese
• 1 cup coarse bread crumbs

Preparation:

Drizzle cauliflower with olive oil and lemon – toss. Roast florets in a 400 degree oven about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Render pancetta until crisp – drain and reserve. Saute shiitakes in the pancetta pan. Reduce heat a little and add leeks to the mushrooms and sweat briefly. Season with salt and pepper as necessary. Add garlic and kale and cook until kale just wilts. Remove from heat, combine with cauliflower and pancetta. Add all to a buttered casserole dish.

Melt half the butter and mix in flour. Cook stirring throughout for 2-3 minutes. Stir in milk and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and thoroughly combine with crème fraiche. Add cheese and mix completely.

Pour over cauliflower mixture, and bake covered with foil in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes. Melt the remaining butter and toss with the bread crumbs. Remove the foil and sprinkle the crumb mixture over the casserole. Put under the broiler to brown. Serve hot.

 
REC: Smothered Kale with Ham

Smothered Kale with Ham

2lbs KALE, washed & stemmed
4 slices FATBACK OR BACON, diced
BLACK PEPPER to taste
1 medium ONION, chopped
1 lb SMOKED HAM, julienned
dash CRUSHED RED-PEPPER FLAKES

Tear or cut the kale into bite sized chunks. Fry the bacon in heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 10 minutes. Set bacon aside, turn the heat up to high and drop the kale in, tossing it in the remaining grease to coat. Cover the pan with a lid, forcing the kale down if necessary.

Lower the heat to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Remove the lid, add the bacon and the rest of the ingredients. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Kale should have a little chew left in it. Eat.

 
Hi Carianna. Last year I grew it, but this year tried chard instead. REC Steamed Kale

Like kale much better, not so bitter, will go back to it next year!

Simply steam kale until tender (3 minutes in a pressure cooker is what I do). Drain and top with bacon vinaigrette (there goes the healthy aspect ;o)).

 
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