Kale

Creamy kale soup

4-6 c. vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch kale, cut into ribbons
2-3 potatoes, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. olive oil or butter
¼ c. white wine
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
¼ c. half and half or cream

In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in butter or oil with a few pinches of salt and pepper, about 5 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and wine and cook until nearly dry. Add potatoes and carrots, stirring well, then add 4 c. stock and bay leaf. Cook for 20 minutes, then add kale and cook 10 minutes more, until vegetables are very soft.
Puree half the soup in a blender or food processor, or mash with a potato masher. Return to pot, thin with more stock to the desired consistency, and simmer another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and stir in the cream just before serving.

Sauteed kale with leeks and celery root

1 bunch kale, cut into thin ribbons
2 medium leeks
2 c. grated celery root
½ c. vegetable or chicken stock or water
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. dried sage
½ tsp. dried marjoram or thyme

Trim away the roots and any discolored leaves from the leeks. Slice the leek lengthwise about ¾ of the way through. Spread the layers of the leek open and wash thoroughly. Cut the leek entirely in half and cut into slices, including the dark green leaves.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet. Saute the leek with the dried herbs and a few pinches salt and pepper until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the the kale and saute 2-3 minutes, then add the celery root and stir well. Add the stock and cover the pan, allowing the vegetable to steam until tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove lid and allow any excess moisture to evaporate. Add remaining salt and pepper. Serves 3-4.

Raw kale salad with carrots and summer squash

You may not think of kale and summer squash as vegetable that you want to eat raw, but this salad with change your mind! Fresh, local organic veggies taste great raw, especially when sliced very thin and marinated in a little lemon juice and olive oil. Feel free to add in some chopped tomatoes and basil chiffonade.

1 bunch kale, sliced into very thin ribbons (see tip for chiffonade cutting technique)
2 medium carrots, grated
1 small summer squash (or half of a larger one), cut into thin half moons
1 small zucchini (or half of a larger one), cut into thin half moons
1 garlic clove
2 tbs. lemon juice
2 tbs. olive oil
½ tsp. salt

Combine the oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or mortar and pestle. Combine the squash/zucchini and carrots in a bowl and pour half the dressing over them. Stir well and let sit 10 minutes. Pour the remaining dressing over the kale. Rub the kale with your fingers for about 10 minutes. Add in the squash/zucchini and carrots, stir well. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serves 3-4.

Pasta with Red Peppers, Kale and Olives

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
½ a bunch of kale, cut into ribbons
2 garlic cloves
8 large pitted olives, coarsely chopped
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
½ lb. angel hair, spaghetti or linguine pasta
salt and pepper
grated parmesan cheese
a few tbs. chopped fresh herbs, optional

Cook the pasta according to package directions. When done, drain, toss with a little olive oil and set aside. Heat the oil in a medium skillet. When heated, add the garlic, red pepper and kale, sautéing over medium heat until the kale and peppers are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add a few pinches of salt and a few grinds black pepper, the olives, and the lemon juice to the mixture, stirring well. Toss with the pasta, and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the fresh herbs, if using, and serve with parmesan cheese. Serves 2-3.

Kale and white bean soup with turkey sausage

To make this soup vegetarian, you can use a veggie sausage product, or just skip it

2 tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
2 medium potatoes or parsnips, chopped
1 can white beans
4 c. water, or chicken or vegetable stock
2 c. canned chopped tomatoes
1 lb. turkey sausage
½ c. grated parmesan or gruyere cheese
1 bay leaf
a few pinches of dried herbs: basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Sauté the onion for a few minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, the dried herbs, and a few pinches salt and pepper and sauté 2 minutes more. Add the potatoes/parsnips, the bay leaf, the stock and the tomatoes, bring to a boil. While the soup is simmering, brown the sausage, if using, in a skillet. When the potatoes are just tender, add the kale, sausage and beans. Simmer 10-15 minutes more, until kale is cooked. Remove from heat and add the grated cheese. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serves 6.

Sautéed kale with lemon and garlic

1 bunch kale, sliced into thin ribbons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1-2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. When the oil is hot, add the kale and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce and sauté a few minutes more. Stir frequently so the garlic does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If you need to, you can add a little water to the pan to prevent sticking. When the kale is tender, turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Add more soy sauce if desired.
Serves 2-3.

Fritatta with Kale and Potatoes

This recipe is quick, simple, and filling, and great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

1 bunch kale, chopped
6 scallions or 1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 medium potatoes, chopped
1 tbs. olive oil
6 eggs
1 c. milk
1 c. shredded cheese
1 tsp. dried herbs or 1 tbs. fresh herbs: sage, thyme, oregano and/or rosemary
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the potatoes in a small saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet. Sauté the scallions/onions for 1 minute, then add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add the kale and sauté until it is wilted, 3-5 minutes more. Add the cooked potatoes and stir well.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk, salt, herbs, pepper and cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture in the skillet. Put the skillet in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until a fork inserted in the center comes out clean. Serves 4-6.

If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can put the sautéed vegetables in to a 10-inch glass pie plate, pour the egg mixture over the top and bake in the pie plate.

Kale Pesto

4 c. steamed kale, lightly packed
½ c. olive oil
½ c. grated parmesan cheese
¼ c. parsley, optional
1 garlic clove
¼ c. pine nuts, walnuts or pecans
2 tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

Dry roast the nuts in a small pan on the stove top until lightly toasted and fragrant. Quickly remove from pan.

Coarsely chop the garlic and place all ingredients except kale (and parsley, if using) into a food processor. Add about half the kale and process for about 10 seconds. Add the rest of the kale and parsley, if using, and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds more.

This pesto is fairly thick. If you want a thinner version, add a little more oil or water, up to ¼ c. more. This recipe is especially good as a spread for fresh bread.

Cesar Salad with Hardboiled Eggs and Marinated Kale

4 c. kale, stems removed and sliced into very thin ribbons
4 c. lettuce, chopped
4 hardboiled eggs
½ c. parmesan cheese
1 small garlic clove
¼ c. fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ c. olive oil
scant 1 tsp. salt
a few turns fresh ground black pepper

Combine the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, ¼ c. parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Place the chopped kale in a large bowl and pour ¼ c. of the dressing over the kale. Rub the dressing into the kale with your fingers and let sit 5-10 minutes.

Add the chopped lettuce to the kale and toss to combine. Add more dressing to taste, and toss again. Garnish with the hardboiled eggs (chopped or halved) and the remaining parmesan. Serve immediately. Croutons, shredded carrots or chopped tomatoes could also be added to this salad. To make the salad vegan and raw, omit the eggs and replace parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast. Serves 3-4.