Got Kale?

Our hoop house is full of it! Here are a few ways to prepare kale, whether from your garden or ours! Many thanks to Kathy Gunst for these simple but yummy recipes.

Kale Chips

A bunch of dinosaur kale
Olive oil
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Hold the thick end of the kale stem with one hand and run the pinched fingers of your other hand along the stem, stripping the leaf away.
Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces or leave them in strips for larger chips.
Brush both sides of the each piece with a little bit of olive oil, or toss them with oil directly on your baking tray. With clean hands.
Sprinkle the kale with salt and toss again. Wash your oily hands when you are finished.

Place the pieces of kale in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
Bake for 2 to 14 minutes or until crisp.

Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Makes 2 cups.

Other ideas for fresh kale:

*Make a salad: cut kale into small pieces and sprinkle lightly with salt Toss with toasted pine nuts and raisins and toss with olive oil and lemon juice.

*Heat a skillet with olive oil. Cook 1 clove garlic thinly sliced for 10 seconds. Add a few cups of chopped fresh kale. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes on low heat or until kale is soft and tender. Season with salt and pepper.

*Kale, Sausage and White Bean Quick Stew: Cook 1 Italian sausage cut into small pieces and place in a large skillet. Add 1 cup water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain water. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook until sausage is golden brown. Add 1 cup chopped kale to the pan and stir well; cook 5 minutes over low heat. Add 1 cup cooked white beans (if canned, drain, rinse and drain again) and stir into sausage and kale. Cook 2 minutes. Add 1 chopped ripe tomato and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce if you like.