Sunday, April 1, 2012

Baby Kale with Currants & Pine Nuts



Kale is the biggest food trend right now.

It brings a smile to my face when I think about this poor little leafy green that was marginalized in the American diet for so long. Well, no more. It's the viral sensation of produce. The FIFTY SHADES OF GREY of vegetables, only far more substantive. It's spectacularly delicious, if prepared correctly.

I love baby kale, the immature version of this vegetable. I have a farmer at my market that grows the most beautiful baby kales. My favorite is the lacinato variety.

But any type will work, even if it's not babyish.

Also, feel free to experiment with different sorts of dried fruits (cherries, cranberries, etc.) and different typs of nuts and seeds (sesame, walnuts, slivered almonds, etc.).

I eat this dish for breakfast (it's delicious with eggs and toast), for lunch (it's great on its own), or for dinner (it's a wonderful side dish to any meal). My mother actually first cooked a version of this for me, and I loved it. Pair it with a little grilled tofu dusted with curry powder.

Don't miss out on this trend—eat more kale now!



Baby Kale with Currants & Pine Nuts
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 10 minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients
  • 4 cups of baby kale, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons currants
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • juice of half a lemon
  • salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or saute pan over medium heat.
  2. Add the garlic and saute for one minute.
  3. Add the kale and cook until becoming tender, stirring occasionally (about four to five minutes).
  4. Add the currants and pine nuts and cook for another minute.
  5. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

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