Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Lala for Lacinato. Dinosaur Kale, that is.

Let's hear it for dinosaur kale with a bubbly texture. I made it tonight for dinner, sauteed with garlic and Field Roast Mexican veggie sausage, on top of a fluffy pile of red and white quinoa. Maybe you aren't paying attention: I said...

...let's hear it for dinosaur kale!

No doubt my enthusiasm is a sign it's been winter for too long. I faithfully went the way of other earth-friendly Portlanders by keeping to the seasonal produce available and buying local this year. We've went from the most amazing farmers markets on the planet (I haven't done research, but I'm pretty sure) this fall, to smaller markets with shorter hours, to a handful of markets that sold pumpkins. The sky clouded over, literally and figuratively, and it was winter again.

I signed up to get weekly deliveries of local fruits and veggies from Organics to You (friendly hippies), because I couldn't trust myself not to just buy a bunch of dirty but attractive fruits and veggies hauled up from Mexico, come to rest in peace at the Hawthorne Fred Meyers (deep voice bellows: beware of the carbon footprint!). God bless Organics to You, but the last few months I've been living on root vegetables, apples and pears. Exclusively. Last night I made a nightmarish casserole of the contents in my fridge: turnips, rutabagas, carrots and celery. So when I opened my box-o-vegetables tonight, my heart went pit-a-pat. I fingered the unfamiliar bubbly leaves, probably much longer than appropriate. I pretended I didn't see the regular albino winter fare cozying up around it. All I saw was this beautiful leafy hussy - kale! Until spring makes an appearance, kale is king.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Ahhh.....kale. What do you do with kale, anyway? I used to use it when I helped with catering (as a garnish,) and I had it once at a cajun restaurant, sauteed with brown sugar. It was very good, but beyond that, I haven't given kale, let alone dinasaur kale, much thought. Any recipes?

Unknown said...

Kale is super healthy and super delicious! Mark (my husband to those who don't know me) makes it, sauteed in garlic of course, and then with cannellini beans - the whole thing salt and peppered and drizzled in olive oil. It also works with red onions! - Sharon :)

Eden From Sweden said...

Thank GOD! Comments!

Kale is super. As for a recipe, I suggest this zuppa toscana recipe, but to keep it healthy, no bacon, veggie sausage, and instead of butter and cream in the base, puree vegetable stock with great northern beans. Yum, and keeps great for a week or so.

The recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Zuppa-Toscana/Detail.aspx

Tai said...

Canela says, "I enjoy a little Kale with olive oil drizzled over my Life Protection Formula dog food."