Cooking Cove: Doing Kale-isthenics in the kitchen

Cooking Cove: Doing Kale-isthenics in the kitchen

Portuguese Kale Soup

By Barbara Beltrami

Oh, come on! You must have known it was only a matter of time before I, your friendly local recipe writer, zeroed in on that magic new gastronomic and health phenomenon, that newly popular, recently discovered among health-conscious Americans veggie … kale!

Basically a kind of cabbage that doesn’t form a head but produces lots of leaves, some variety of kale is a staple of many European, Asian and African diets. Rich in vitamins, especially vitamin K, which has been found to help blood clotting, this dark green (or sometimes other color) veggie can now be found on supermarket shelves as well as restaurant menus.

Kale is not new to me, however. My mother, who had a knack for finding and cooking what were many decades ago obscure vegetables, made kale regularly. That is, she boiled it. Period. So it wasn’t one of my favorites.

Fast forward several decades and cookbooks, websites and home making magazines are rife with recipes for kale paired with every conceivable as well as some very inconceivable ingredients. Because it is a little bitter and tough by itself, it is best prepared by removing its stems and pairing it with flavors that complement it.

With apologies to my mother, I offer you kale salad,  Portuguese kale soup and kale chips.

Kale, Orange, Avocado and Pignoli Salad

The rough texture of the kale, the tanginess of the orange, the creaminess of the avocado and crunchiness of the pignoli nuts converge on the palate for an interesting taste sensation.

YIELD: 4 to 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

One 12-ounce bag baby kale, washed, dried and de-stemmed

One large navel orange, peeled and diced

One avocado, peeled and sliced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

1½ tablespoons wine vinegar

One tablespoon honey

One garlic clove

One teaspoon dried tarragon or one tablespoon fresh, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup toasted pignoli nuts

DIRECTIONS: Crush the kale leaves with your hands so that they wilt a little. Place in a large bowl and toss with orange and avocado. In a small bowl whisk together the oil, orange juice, wine vinegar, honey, garlic and tarragon. Remove and discard garlic. Gently toss liquid mixture with kale mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle pignoli nuts on top and serve immediately. Serve with crusty bread and a hard cheese or with any fish, chicken or meat dish.

Portuguese Kale Soup

Hearty as can be, this national comfort food of Portugal has many interpretations by Portuguese immigrants in America, and each one is better than the next. This recipe borrows ingredients from various versions that elaborate upon the basic “caldo verde,” which is potatoes and kale.

Portuguese Kale Soup

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces linguica or chorizo sausage, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

One large onion, peeled and diced

4 garlic cloves, sliced very thin

One pound kale, washed, de-stemmed and torn into pieces

2 quarts chicken broth

2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and diced

One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

One 28-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Handful fresh flat leaf parsley, rinsed, de-stemmed and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS: In a large pot over medium heat, brown the sausage slices. Add the olive oil and onion; stir over medium heat until onion is soft and slightly opaque. Add garlic, kale, broth and potatoes. Lower heat slightly and continue to cook until kale is wilted, then add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, until potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add water or more broth, if needed. Serve hot or refrigerate until used. Pair with Portuguese bread and olive oil.

Kale Chips

Amazingly easy and surprisingly delicious, these munchies are an excellent way to get kids to eat their veggies. In fact, I know of a certain little boy who became a convert from Pringles and Cheetos to kale chips!

YIELD: 2 to 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS:

One pound kale, washed, dried and de-stemmed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350 F. Toss kale with oil, salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake 10 to 15 minutes until crispy. Serve with yogurt dip or hummus.

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