Recipe ideas – how to cook kale

There are different types of Kale ranging from curly Kale to flat leafed Kales. All of the ones that I have grown have been delicious and easy to incorporate into various meals.

Kale is a hardy vegetable that can stay in the ground or in pots throughout winter, providing a great supply of fresh, in season food through winter and spring.

Harvesting Kale

It is super easy to harvest kale. I cut a leaf, give it a shake and a quick inspection, to get rid of any insects or slugs, and then pop it in a bowl.

Note that it is easier to spot any unappetising creatures on the flat leaf Kale, but both types can be treated in the same way.

Did you know that the more that you harvest Kale, the more leaves will grow!

Preparing Kale

Once I have a bowl of Kale, I wash the leaves and leave them to soak in salt water for at least 30 minutes – this kills the bacteria and any bugs that weren’t dislodged when I shook the leaves earlier.

Kale has a thicker texture to spinach, therefore I usually steam it in the microwave before freezing or adding it to a dish.

Steaming / Blanching Kale in the Microwave

1. Once the Kale has been cleaned roughly chop it and place it in a microwaveable bowl.
2. Add a small splash of water to the bowl.
3. Cover the bowl with a microwaveable lid or clingfilm.
4. Microwave on full for 2 minutes.
5. Remove the bowl from the microwave – be careful as it will be hot – and carefully drain the liquid.
6. The Kale is now ready to be frozen or added to your dish.

Kale as an addition to sauce based dishes

Kale can be added to many sauce based dishes e.g., stews, curries etc., from fresh or frozen.

1. Prepare your favourite sauce based dish.
2. Add the Kale to your sauce
   • If you are using fresh Kale, prepare it by cleaning and steaming it in the microwave.
   • If you are using frozen Kale then you can add it straight from the freezer.
3. Stir and let it cook through.

Kale with steamed eggs

1. Prepare your favourite tomato based sauce (I have a dedicated page which may help to inspire you with some of the ingredients that I like to use).
2. Pour the tomato based soup into a large frying pan.
3. Prepare your choice of Kale by cleaning and steaming it in the microwave.
4. Add the Kale to your tomato sauce, stir and let it cook through for a few minutes.
5. Crack an egg into the pan, on top of the Kale and tomato sauce. Do not put a lid on the pan.
6. You can spread the egg white to create a thinner texture over the top of the sauce.
7. Wait while the egg white cooks through. The time for this can vary depending on the size of egg, thickness of the egg white, temperature of the pan etc, but you should let it cook through slowly.
8. Once the egg white is cooked, place a lid over the pan and then remove the lid after a few seconds. You are just waiting for the egg yolk to change colour, which will ensure that it is still runny when you cut into it. If you prefer a firmer yolk, then leave the lid on for longer.
9. Serve with bread or toast that can be used to mop up the sauce.

Kale Omelette

1. Prepare your omelette mixture in a bowl.
2. Prepare your choice of Kale by cleaning and steaming it in the microwave.
3. Heat a frying pan with butter to a low-medium heat.
4. Pour the omelette mixture into the frying pan and add the Kale.
5. Add any additional ingredients and cook as normal.

Some of the other ingredients that I have added to the omelette include:

• Feta cheese
• Sliced tomato
• Chopped garlic and chilli (already pre-fried)
• Herbs e.g., parsley, thyme etc.

There are many ways to incorporate Kale into everyday dishes and I hope that these recipe concepts inspire you to try something different.

Enjoy!