Mmm Kale?: A Recipe that Even Kale Haters Might Like

Kale?? Mmm?

I used to hate vegetables. I think the first time I had kale it was in some kind of miso soup with tofu chunks in it that my sister had made. I really didn't enjoy it (though I am sure I would like that soup now) and it turned me off of leafy greens for quite awhile. Kale is one of those things that people really really love or really really hate. But there ARE ways to prepare kale that minimize the "green" flavor of it and kale is a wonder vegetable.

Packed with vitamins (beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and calcium), kale is incredibly nutritious. It also is rich with sulforaphane, a powerful cancer fighting compound. Be careful though, as boiling can degrade certain nutrients. Stir frying or steaming kale, however, does not. 

Colcannon Soup: A (Dairy-free) version of an Irish Classic

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish consisting of potatoes, cabbage or kale, and cream. The full fat version is delicious, but not necessarily health or waste conscious. So this dairy free soup version, which I adapted from several different colcannon recipes, takes out the dairy and adds some flavor and uses an entire bunch of kale. The base is onions, garlic, and potatoes, enriched with sautéed kale and thyme.

This is how I used the kale in this week's share, instead of sautéed greens.

Recipe:

2 T extra virgin olive oil1 large white or sweet onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 lb red potatoes, peeled and chopped small (sometimes I add an extra small potato to bulk up the broth a little)
2 T butter
1 bunch kale, chopped into bite sized pieces (discard thick stems)
2 T fresh thyme
1 qt vegetable or chicken broth


In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Combine the onion, garlic, and potato and brown in the oil. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. In the meantime, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the kale and thyme and wilt until the kale is darkened, but still firm (not soggy). 

Once the potatoes, onions, and garlic are browned, pour a small amount of broth into the bottom of the pan and scrape the bottom to get all of the drippings. Put the potato/onion/garlic mixture into a blender with half the broth and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour it back into the sauce pan. Add the wilted kale and stir. Heat on low heat until the soup is hot, but not boiling.

Serves 4 with big portions, 6 with small.