A friend recently made this amazing recipe for kale for me. Raw kale at that! It’s to die for, and lasted in my fridge for a couple of days…delicious cold and as a leftover. It’s advertised as a “winter salad,” but I ate it recently with steak tips and corn on the cob. Yum yum yum!  From Bon Appetit, February 2009  (FDC Newsletter June 8, 2010)

• 2 Tbl dried currants
• 7 Tbl white balsamic vinegar, divided
• 1 Tbl unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 Tbl honey
• 1 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 bunches raw kale (about 1 pound), center ribs and stems removed, leaves thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 Tbl pine nuts, lightly toasted
• Parmesean cheese shavings

1. Place currants in small bowl; add 5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar. Let soak overnight. Drain currants. 
2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, honey, oil, and salt in large bowl.
3. Add kale, currants, and pine nuts; toss to coat. Let marinate 20 minutes at room temperature, tossing occasionally.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese shavings over salad and serve

(FDC Newsletter June 15, 2010)

• 1 bunch kale
• Greens from one bunch of turnips
• 3-4 radishes
• 2 scallions
• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 4oo.  Toss hazelnuts in olive oil and salt.  Toast hazelnuts for 7-10 minutes.  Coarsley chop toasted nuts in a blender or coffee grinder.
2. Wash radishes and scallions and remove radish greens.  Cut radishes in half and thinly slice.  Thinly slice scallions.  Reserve.
3. Wash turnip greens and coarsely shred.
4. Wash and cut the stems from each leaf of kale.  (It’s not necessary to cut out the stems, but I think it’s worth the effort.)  Roll 2-3 leaves up like a sushi roll, and cut the roll into 1-inch pieces, then cut again on a diagonal.
5. Drop the kale and turnip greens into boiling water, cover and steam for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, transfer greens to a colander and drain excess water .  Place the colander into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking and cool.  Drain.
6. Toss all ingredients (except cheese) into a big bowl, add olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
7. Add parmesean cheese and serve.

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 avocado
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• juice from 1 lime (about 2 Tbl)
• olive oil
• salt
• chili powder

1. Cut the stems out of the kale and slice the leaves into thin ribbons.  Place in a large bowl.
2. Add in a slug of oil (about a Tbl) and some salt (1 tsp or so is a good starting point) and mix with your hands.  Add the avocado flesh, lime juice, and chili powder (to taste) and mix well, still with your hands ( this is great fun for kids – nice and squishy!).
3. Add the tomato, toss gently, and serve.

• 1/3 lb penne or farfalle pasta
• 2-3 Tbl olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb chopped kale leaves
• salt and pepper

1. Bring 6-8 cups salted water to boil; add pasta and cook until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, add onions and garlic, and cook until tender.
3. Add the kale and saute until wilted.
4. Drain the pasta and combine it with the onions, garlic, and kale.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

• 1 Tbl olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1 can (7 oz) water chestnuts, drained and thinly sliced
• 3 shitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb kale, washed and cut into large pieces (any green can be substituted)
• 1 tsp mirin (or seasoned brown rice vinegar)
• 1 tsp tamari (or high quality soy sauce)
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Add garlic and onions and saute until onions are translucent.  Be careful not to brown the garlic or it will give a bitter taste.
2. Add water chestnuts and shitake mushrooms.  Saute for 3 minutes.  Add kale and saute for 1 minute.  Add the mirin, tamari, and pepper and saute until kale is tender.

• 1 small baguette, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 4 large cloves garlic
• 1 large head kale, stems removed, leaves torn or coarsely chopped
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• splash of red-wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place bread on large baking sheet.  Transfer to oven until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and rub cut sides of bread with 1 clove of garlic.  Set aside.
3. Chop remaining 3 cloves garlic; set aside.  Wash and drain kale – do not dry.  Heat 2 Tbl olive oil in large saucepan over high heat.  Add kale and cook, stirring until coated…season with salt.  Cover and reduce heat to medium, cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4-5 minutes.  If leaves begin to scorch, add a splash of water.
4. Transfer kale to one side of skillet and add 1 Tbl olive oil to other side.  Add chopped garlic and red pepper flakes.  When garlic is fragrant, combine with kale.
5. Remove skillet from heat, add vinegar; stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper; serve on toasted bread slices warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 Tbsp olive oil (or more as needed)
• 1-2 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika (sweet or hot, we prefer hot at our house, or you can use sweet and add
• some cayenne)
• 1 bunch kale (or chard, etc.) coarsely chopped
• 1 can white beans
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until softened.
2. Stir in paprika and cook for another minute or two.
3. Add the chopped greens and cook until softened.
4. Add a can of white beans, undrained, or the equivalent amount of cooked beans with some of their cooking liquid. Cook partially covered until kale is the consistency you like. Add some water or broth (or pasta cooking water if you’re serving it with pasta) to keep it somewhat “saucy.”

Rinse Kale and shake or spin dry. Trim and cut off long stalks-keep separate. Cut leaves and stalks into course chunks or strips. Heat olive oil in Dutch oven or wok, medium-high heat. Add kale stalks (cut to about 1” long) and stir for about 3-5 minutes, then add kale leaves. Stir to coat. Add Balsamic Vinegar, stirring to coat. Cook until leaves are wilted, another 5-10 minutes. Add chicken broth, cover and cook over medium-low heat until kale is tender.

Rinse Kale and shake dry. Trim and cut off long stalks, rip or cut the leaves in to bite-sized pieces. Heat olive oil in a deep Dutch oven or wok over medium-high heat. Squeeze garlic through a garlic press (or use diced/crushed garlic) into the hot oil. When the garlic starts to brown, drop in kale. Stir frequently during the first minute or two to ensure that all the leaves are coated with oil and turn a brilliant green. Reduce heat to medium and cover, stirring occasionally, or until all leaves are wilted – about another 5-10 minutes. Pour in two cans of spiced diced tomatoes and sprinkle with cumin. Stir. Cook over medium low heat 10-20 minutes more or until kale is tender. This dish can be kept simmering for hours and is delicious when warmed as a leftover or after being frozen.
Adapted from Penzey’s One Magazine, Vol 1 Issue 5.

One bunch kale
a bunch of plum tomatoes, chopped
lemon juice from 1-2 lemons
flax oil
1-2 avocados
sea salt (pinch)
cayenne (optional, to taste)

Wash and cut kale into small pieces.  Add flax oil and sea salt and rub it in with your fingers. It should now get a wilted/cooked look. Scoop out the avocado and blend it in well with your hands. Next add the lemon juice, toss again. Add tomatoes and cayenne (optional) toss again.  Enjoy!