How do you prepare fresh kale?!
Answers: Never cooked it for myself before, is going to be the greens of a steak and potato's meal.
Kale is quite tough therefore needs a good boiling! Boil for about 20 minutes or so and keep forking it to see if it's tender.
In our house, after it is boiled, we top it off with some lemon juice and olive oil (salt/pepper if you want).
Enjoy!
EDIT:
RobinB made a GREAT point....do not forget to wash and re-wash your kale. In fact, fill your sink with water, place the kale in the water and gently mix around the kale. The sand will fall to the bottom of the sink and your kale will be grit-free!
Braised Kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 teaspoon salt
12 turns freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 cups (firmly packed) torn and stemmed kale pieces
2 cups Basic Chicken Stock, recipe follows ( save a step and buy one of the boxes of stock at the market, they are fab! )
Splash cider vinegar
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, kale, and stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes; add a splash of cider vinegar in the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat. Serve immediately.
Basic Chicken Stock:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 head garlic, cut in 1/2
1 bouquet garni
2 pounds raw chicken bones, rinsed in cold water
4 quarts cold water
Salt and pepper
In a large stock pot, over high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 hours. Remove the stock from the heat and skim off any scum that is on the surface. Strain the stock through a large fine-mesh sieve. Discard the bones and vegetables.
Yield: 3 quarts
all those ways to prepare it are GREAT...but, most important, make sure you rinse and re-rinse and rinse again. It has sand in it, and if you don't rinse it, it will be gritty.
Oh do I love Kale.
My favorite way to make it:
Rinse it well under running water.
Remove leafy portion and discard tough stems.
Put about 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings into a large pan or skillet. Add the kale and toss with drippings until coated.
When it starts to wilt, add a little chicken stock or water and let it simmer until it reaches desired tenderness. I don't like mine cooked to death but some do. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Sometimes I throw some crumbled bacon on top when I serve it.
Other recipes posted look good to me. Kale and onion go well together. I prefer it simple.