Kale is one of our all-time favorite vegetables. That dark green color means it's packed full of goodness in both flavor and nutrients, and while its rough bitterness may be an acquired taste, it pays off enormously when handled right. From homemade snack chips to soup, here are five ways to eat this most faithful of vegetables.
Five Ways to Eat: Kale
Kale is not sexy; it's not the artichoke or leek of the vegetable world, that's for sure. Kale's thick, almost rubbery leaves are ruffled and chewy as leather, and its bitter taste requires learned appreciation. But we adore its deep green color, as well as the steadfast way it grows nearly all year long. Hardy kale, like the black dinosaur (or lacinato) kale pictured up top will grow right through the snow, and its deep green is so welcome in the dark winter. Here are five ways we like to eat kale.
- Raw, in a salad - Kale doesn't need to be cooked to be enjoyed. If you slice it into very, very fine ribbons it makes a great salad. Its rough texture and slightly bitter taste are the perfect match for lemon and some sharp, salty pecorino. Here's how we do it; this is probably our favorite winter salad! Also try this raw kale and pig cheek salad.
- Cooked and boiled - Kale is a seriously tough green, and while it can be great in raw salads, sometime we like it soft and silky. To get it like that, it's best to boil it (or braise it). If the idea of boiled greens sounds too Dickensian for you, no fear. They're actually decadently delicious, silky and smooth.
- In a soup - Kale's sturdy texture makes it the perfect green to throw into a pot of soup. It doesn't fall apart into moist strings like spinach. Here are a few favorite soups with kale: Easy Kale Soup for One (or Two); Turkey Chili with Kale, and Kale and Apple Soup.
- In pasta - Kale is great with pasta; just like in soups it doesn't wilt too much or lose its toothsome texture when cooked with pasta. We love it with spicy sausage and orecchiette.
- As snack chips! - Yes, you can make better-than-potato-chips-snack-chips out of kale. All you do is throw it a few leaves in the oven with olive oil and salt, and bake! The result is addictively crisp and salty kale chips. You've got to try it!
Crispy, salty, addictive kale chips. What's your favorite way to enjoy kale? Tell us! And here's a few more recipes, too.
• Tip: Use Curly Kale for Colorful Retro Garnish
• Recipe Review: Kale and Potato Puree
• Kristopher's Seared Char with Asian Kale
• Recipe: Kale and Potato Gratin
• In Season West Coast: Black Kale
• Recipe: Cavolo Nero Kale
More 5 Ways to Eat Posts:
These posts are all ingredients paired with Social Workout's daily exercise over at their Fall Challenge.
(Image: Faith Durand)
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I love the kale chips. They have the satisfying salty crunch factor, without the guilt of potato chips.
view siera104's profile
A note to rabbit owners out there: rabbits go bonkers for kale. They love it. They can't have enough.
Anything that is bitter, green, and leafy -- they'll practically knock you over to get it. The more bitter, the better.
view maskedbunny's profile
I also love the kale chips. I use garlic salt when i make mine for an extra flavor kick.
view theripetomato's profile
Kale has become a staple in my chicken noodle soup, especially with a sprinkle of parmesan.
view akay's profile
kale chips are delicious! rarely eat it any other way these days (but i also like it cooked slowly a la http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2008/03/19/slow-cooker-greens/ )
view gretchenalexis's profile
I made a braised kale and spaghetti dish that Molly Wizenberg wrote about in Bon Appetit last month that was delicious.
http://whitneyinchicago.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/braisedkalespaghetti/
view WhitinChi's profile
I wish I had a rabbit!
view aleec's profile
Kale Gratin is one of my favorite things ever!!!!! with this recipe and I double, sometimes triple the greens! (and I obviously sub kale for cabbage as the original recipe says you can!)
http://rebelheart.squarespace.com/charlottes-blog/2007/10/19/savoy-cabbage-gratin.html
view FromTheFuture's profile
I've been adding one bunch of chopped, steamed kale to the brown rice and mushroom casserole from 101cookbooks. I actually use twice the amount of mushrooms, half the rice, and ricotta instead of cottage cheese. It's so delicious and healthy and I love making a bunch for weekday lunches.
view sjbreeze's profile
I am going to have to say I prefer it boiled with a smidge of garlic, lemon, salt, pepper and a light dusting of parmesan; kind of like the picture
view wanderingfoodie's profile
I add nutritional yeast to my kale chips for a bit of cheesy flavor.
view danaiskey's profile
Braise it till "silky smooth," chop it a bit so you don't trail long ribbons of kale from your fork. Toast a thickish slice of country bread, rub with clove of raw garlic. Heap on cooked kale, top with a perfectly fried, over-easy egg. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, a few drops of hot sauce and a drizzle of olive oil. Sublime. Actually, I think I first read about this at Orangette!
view 39520expat's profile
I'm growing tuscan kale and I love it! I don't really get that bitter flavor. My dad thinks spinach has a gross and bitter flavor too. I don't taste that either. Maybe I'm just weird.
view graciela's profile
I just made a kale salad with delicata squash and beans- got the recipe from the latest Martha Stewart mag. It's SUPER good and the kale is nice and wilty.
http://www.shutterbean.com/delicata-squash-salad-with-kale-cannellini-beans/
view shutterbean's profile
You can cook turkish special dolma.
It is very delicious. Dolma
Firma Rehberi
view firmalar's profile
I love packing a ton of it into kale pesto!
view iheartkale's profile
i made the kale chips and ended up with what tasted like a pile of burnt leaves. but it has potential...I think next time I'll watch more carefully. hopefully I can get it right, because whoa, what a good idea!
view kodaly's profile