I’ve long been a fan of kale. baked into chips, sauteed with toasted sesame or steamed with eggs it adds a nutritional boost and a bright earthy flavor to meals. its the wonder of the winter garden, surviving frost and snow, getting ever-sweeter as the days pass. knowing its life-enhancing properties (i.e. calcium, iron, antioxidants, vitamin a and c), i’ve never minded its often chewy presence. that is until recently when dylan served the kale after a long long steam (boil) covered in melted butter and coconut oil. it was smooth and delicious, like unreal delicious. we never compete over the kale at dinner, but this, well, it would be worth it. kale, like collard and broccoli and other members of the brassica is best served cooked and with fat. cooking breaks down the tough indigestible cellulose and the fat aids in digestion of carotenoids. as for fat, pasture butter is a great source of vitamin K2, spend the extra bucks on some nice butter for spreading and greens, it makes all the difference.
1 bunch of kale
1-2 Tbl butter
1-2 Tbl raw virgin coconut oil
sea salt
i like to start by de-ribbing the kale. hold a piece upside down by the bottom of the stem, use the thumb and forefinger of the opposite hand to pull down the length of the stem. with this quick technique the leaf unfurls along each side. compost the stems and roughly chop the kale.
add the kale to a steamer or to a pan with an inch of water. cover and turn the heat to medium high. simmer the kale for 20 minutes, until the green color has lost its sharpness and the leaves have softened.
strain the excess water from the kale, add the butter and oil to the pan to melt it and sprinkle with a few good pinches of sea salt. i’m currently in love with Maldon, woah, amazing. transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy. this kale is so good, it doesn’t even need the accoutrements of minced garlic or cumin, though i’m sure that and a squeeze of lemon would also be tasty.
buen provecho and happy new year, ruby