Sunday, April 28, 2013

Sautéed Kale

Fresh kale is great food with a little more work than some other vegetables. Here's what you do:

Buy a bunch.  When you get home, cut the bottoms of the stems and stick the stems in a glass of water. Or two.  Leave them on the counter so they can pretend to be a house plant and remind you they want to be cooked.

For two people, take the leaves that will fit in one glass of water.

Fold each leaf so the spine faces out, and cut most of the stem away from the leaves. (I know the stems can be eaten, but haven't tried any suggestions I've seen,)

Stack several leaves together and roll them up like a cigar. Slice across the cigar to make ribbons. Repeat until it's all ribbons.

In a frying pan or dutch oven, heat a little oil.

When it shimmers, add as much kale as the pan will hold.  (If there's a bunch left, cook make it two batches.  If there are just a few leaves left, add them when the first set shrink.)

Push the leaves down into the oil a bit, then stir and flip and stir and flip until it all looks bright green.  Add some water, about enough to spread across the bottom of the pan.

Lower the heat, add a lid, and check after 10 minutes.  Check pulling a bit out, blowing on it, and chewing it. When you like it, it's ready.  Remove from the heat, drain, and eat.

Fancier options: 1) When you're heating the oil, add some minced garlic and wait until it smells great before adding the kale. 2. When the kale is done, squeeze some lemon on top.  3.  Do both.

Simpler option: Try any of the above with spinach, because it doesn't need the stems cut off.

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