Totally Obsessed with KALE by Meredith Whipple

totally obsessed with

meredith whipple

dedicated to those who cannot live without it

the start of an obsession it happened before the brouhaha about kale started. it was before anyone knew what a super food was or compared ANDI scores. it was before celebrities talked about kale or cooking shows featured it. in short, it was the dark ages of the dark leafy green. i was introduced to kale when cooking up my first minestrone soup. in goes the parmesan rind! in goes the tomatoes! in goes the beans! in goes the. . . kale? on that first kale adventure, i cooked the hell out of the poor vegetable, simmering the soup until the kale was greyish-green â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but still delicious. how could it be so hearty? so healthy? i knew there was something special going on. since moving to california and becoming vegetarian (well, mostly vegetarian with a weakness for bacon), kale has become a staple of my diet. sautĂŠed with vegetable broth, massaged into salads, even combined into cookies, kale has cropped up in almost every dish i make. i get itchy and antsy if i go for more than one or two days without eating it. even my birthday dinner this year (cooked for me, not by me) featured five courses of kale dishes (much to my delight!). if you feel like I do, submit the story of your kale obsession at: obsessedwithkale@gmail.com. (a selection of contributions will be published in the next version.) and regardless, enjoy the cookbook and eat more kale!

contents the best part of waking up. . . is kale on the breakfast table • kale-apple compote over oatmeal kale on the run: snacks and appetizers • kale spinach bites • kale pesto move over iceberg: variations on the ever popular kale salad • sunny socal salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette • alkaline-kick kale salad center stage: kale entrees • fried gnocchi with sautéed kale and arrabbiata sauce

kale-apple compote over oatmeal serves two

~10 minutes preparation and cooking

kale is a staple when i go to tahoe for a ski weekend. you can massage it with some oil for a salad, you can cook it in a soup, you can snack on it raw while everyone else eats cheese and crackers après-ski. this brainstorm came while cooking some sweet oatmeal before hitting the slopes. this is the ultimate sweet/savory kale breakfast. and it “sticks to your ribs” as my mom used to say. ingredients produce • ½ bunch of kale, washed and destemmed • 1 apple (cooking apples, like Bramleys, Granny Smiths, McIntoshes, Pink Ladies, and Empires work best) • ½ of one small white onion (approximately ½ cup), chopped

instructions • cook onion - heat butter at medium heat in small saucepan - add onion once melted - cook onion until transparent • core and chop apple into small pieces • add apple to the onion

dairy

• add orange juice, honey and cinnamon to create a light syrup to cook the apple and onion

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• roughly chop kale into bite-sized pieces

• ½ cup orange juice

• add kale to the compote and cook until apples are tender and kale is wilted. the kale should be well-incorporated into the rest of the compote

staples and spices • quick-cook or steel-cut oatmeal, prepared according to directions

• spoon compote over individual bowls of oatmeal and serve

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• garnish with ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons honey

equipment • small saucepan

dairy gluten

kale spinach bites five or six dozen

~10 minutes preparation ~30 minutes cooking

i was recently inspired by trader joe’s spinach-kale bites to create this homemade version. mom came up with the idea of dipping these in marinara sauce – as well as the brainstorm of arranging them as a ‘wreath’ around the central bowl of marinara for the holidays. i have problems not eating them right out of the oven, but am exercising restraint to keep some around for the holiday party tonight! ingredients produce • ½ bunch of kale, washed and destemmed • ½ large onion or one small/medium, finely chopped (the smaller, the better!)

instructions • prepare kale - pulse kale in food processor until diced - briefly microwave (~2 minutes on high) to soften • combine all ingredients in large bowl

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• mix well

• 6 eggs, well beaten

• let sit for five to ten minutes for ingredients to moisten and combine

• ¾ cup melted butter • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese frozen • 1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained staples and spices • 3 cups herb stuffing

• using your hands, shape into balls about 1/2- to 3/4-inch in diameter • place on a baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable cooking spray • bake in a preheated 325° oven for 25 to 30 minutes equipment

• 1 tablespoon pepper

• food processor

• 1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt

• large bowl

• ½ teaspoon thyme

• baking trays

• non-stick cooking spray

kale spinach bites

dairy (vegan adaptation)

kale pesto

approximately two cups

~20 minutes preparation

i think there is nothing so gorgeous as the blindingly bright green of kale pesto. it is cheesy, nutty, and - of course - full of chlorophyll-y deliciousness. it spreads well on bread, dresses pasta or pizza, and mixes beautifully into sour cream for a crudité dip. it’s also way cheaper than buying all that basil – and a great use of kale that is a bit past its prime. ingredients produce • 1 large bunch of kale, washed and destemmed, roughly chopped (you may use curly or dino for this recipe) • 1 cup parsley leaves • 3 cloves garlic, peeled • juice of ½ lemon dairy

instructions • in food processor, pulse kale, walnuts, garlic, parsley and parmesan until almost coarsely chopped • add half of the olive oil • season with salt, pepper and lemon juice • pulse again • alternate between pulsing and adding the remainder of the olive oil until the pesto reaches at the consistency that you desire

• ¾ cup parmesan, grated (to make the recipe vegan, replace 3/4th cup of cheese with 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast) staples and spices • 1 cup unsalted walnuts • 1 ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon black pepper • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

equipment • food processor

sunny socal salad with meyer lemon vinaigrette serves four

<10 minutes preparation and cooking

when I first lived in boston, my roommate was kimberly, a southern californian with a yale education, operatic voice, and west coast sensibilities. kimberly taught me two things (both of which were welcome lessons after living in the midwest/east coast for my entire life: 1) wear bright colors and 2) eat more fresh food. the following is kimberly’s kale salad contribution, which is just as bright and sunny as she is. contributed by kimberly dequattro. ingredients produce • 1 bunch of kale, washed, destemmed, and pulled into bite-size pieces • juice of one meyer lemon (culled from your backyard if you lived in such a climate) • 1 ½ cup grated/julienned root vegetables (beets, turnips, carrots, other favorites) • one avocado, cut into bite-size pieces staples and spices • ½ cup sunflower seeds • olive oil • salt and pepper to taste (optional)

instructions • mix vinaigrette - combine olive oil and lemon juice in a three to one ratio in bowl or vinaigrette shaker (a small tupperware container can double as a shaker) - add salt and pepper (optional) - shake or mix until fully combined • massage kale to soften - combine bite-size kale and vinaigrette in bowl - using clean hands, massage kale for ~5 minutes until tender • prepare all vegetables and avocado (all that cutting, grating and such) • stir vegetables, avocado and sunflower seeds into salad equipment • large bowl • vinaigrette shaker, small tupperware container with lid, or bowl and fork (to mix vinaigrette)

alkaline-kick kale salad serves four

<10 minutes preparation and cooking

my friend and business school classmate, kevon saber, knows a lot about health. he’s the founder of fig, an app that helps you stay accountable for your wellness goals, and a great proponent of the alkaline diet. i remember him showing up to class with the loveliest homemade lunches of quinoa and vegetables – more than enough to inspire envy in anyone relegated to eating university cafeteria food. contributed by kevon saber ingredients

instructions

produce

in advance:

• 1 bunch of kale, washed, destemmed, and pulled into bite-size pieces

• place almonds in water

staples and spices • approximately twenty raw almonds • apple cider vinegar (well-known for its health benefits!) • olive oil (in an oil to vinegar ratio of approximately three to one)

• let soak in refrigerator for four to six hours at meal time: • rub lemon juice over kale and let it sit for a few minutes (or longer) while you make the rest of the dressing

• pinch of cayenne pepper

• make vinaigrette - in a separate glass, mix three parts olive oil to one part apple cider vinegar - add a pinch of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika

• pinch of paprika

• sprinkle almonds on kale

• pinch of garlic powder

equipment • large bowl • vinaigrette shaker, small tupperware container with lid, or bowl and fork (to mix vinaigrette)

• pour oil, vinegar, and spices onto the kale and almonds • mix well

dairy gluten

fried gnocchi with sautéed kale and arrabbiata sauce serves two

<10 minutes preparation and cooking

this is my go-to entrée when friends come over for dinner. the gnocchi in this dish have a lovely integrity that can’t be achieved by boiling the pasta. the nutty, starchy flavor of the fried gnocchi - as well as the sweet, hot taste of the tomato sauce - complement the residual bitterness of the kale perfectly. this is a kale recipe to convert even the naysayers we meet. ingredients for the arrabbiata sauce: produce • half of 1 medium white onion (approximately ½ cup), diced • 2 garlic cloves, minced

instructions • start by making the arrabbiata sauce. while that simmers, you’ll have plenty of time to sauté the kale and flash-fry the gnocchi. • [you can easily improvise an arrabbiata sauce by adding red pepper flakes, parsley and basil to a high-quality pre-made sauce. no one will know. in which case, skip the below.]

• 1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

for the arrabbiata sauce:

• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

• cook garlic and onion - heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat - sauté onion and garlic in olive oil and dash of salt for five minutes or until transparent

canned goods • 1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes • half of a 6 oz. can (~3 oz.) tomato paste staples and spices • dash of salt • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil • 1/3 cup of red wine • 1 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar • ¼ teaspoon black pepper • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• stir in wine, tomato paste, red pepper, black pepper, and crushed tomatoes • boil and then simmer - bring to a quick boil - reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered about twenty minutes • finish by stirring in fresh parsley and fresh basil page 1 of 2 

fried gnocchi with sautéed kale and arrabbiata sauce ingredients

instructions

for the kale:

• 1 bunch of dino kale, washed, destemmed and roughly chopped

• heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat

• 1 teaspoon of olive oil • water

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• wilt kale - add roughly chopped kale and begin to wilt - add a couple of tablespoons of water to keep the kale cooking. this water should cook off as the kale wilts • set aside when wilted - the kale will be done when it no longer maintains its stiffness, but before it loses its bright green color

for the gnocchi: • pre-made gnocchi (12-15 thumb-sized gnocchi per person; buy these fresh from an Italian market or follow a recipe to make them yourself) • olive oil

for garnish: • fresh parmesan, grated equipment

for the gnocchi: • heat your skillet to medium heat • cover the bottom of the pan with a ~1/8th inch layer of olive oil • once the oil is heated, slip a dozen or so gnocchi into the pan • fry until golden brown • remove from olive oil and lay out on paper towels to soak up grease to assemble: • layer 12-15 fried gnocchi into the bottom of a soup bowl (one bowl for each person) • cover with a layer of kale

• medium saucepan

• top with arrabbiata sauce

• large skillet

• grate fresh parmesan over the top of the dish (as desired) page 2 of 2

contribute your recipes cooking kale is a labor of love. it is only the brave and the dedicated who are willing to endlessly destem, rinse and re-rinse kale day-in and day-out. if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve downloaded this cookbook, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re likely one of the dedicated few. you likely have a secret cache of your favorite kale recipes. and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve likely created a few of your own concoctions when faced with an overly green CSA box. this is the platform for your obsession. help the kale cause by submitting your recipes. though i test recipes and consolidate the final product, the recipes here are the result of crowdsourcing from an ever-growing list of contributors (see the next page!). we will publish the next version upon hitting a dozen recipes. submit your recipes at: obsessedwithkale@gmail.com. all contributors will be cited on the contributors page and sourced on their recipes. be well and eat more kale! meredith whipple, december 2012

contributors the most patient kale consumer spinach aficionado health guru your contributions. . .

janice whipple, port huron, michigan kimberly dequattro, pasadena, california kevon sabor, palo alto, california

editor and recipe tester (one of many) kale queen(s)

meredith whipple, san francisco, california