All about Kale and How to Cook with It

submitted: Jul 17th 2008 | by: KCKudra | Total views: 20 | Word Count: 479 | | |

This is something that many cooks of all levels of experience ask themselves, but if you do a little bit of investigation, you'll find that there are plenty of things that you can do with this highly versatile leafy green. When you eat kale, you are in good company.

Kale was the most commonly eaten green vegetable in Europe until the seventeenth century. There is actually evidence that kale was cultivated and used in the fourth century BC in ancient Greece. It was a popular addition to the British Victory Gardens of World War II and people are rediscovering the versatility and delicious flavor of kale nowadays.

If you can go long periods without cooking, you have probably had the unpleasant experience of opening up your refrigerator and finding that your vegetables have turned brown and soggy. Luckily, kale freezes very well, and gets a sweeter taste after being exposed to a frost. If you have fresh kale, especially if you have the very tender shoots, add them into your salads. Some ideas for a kale salad include using roasted nuts, strong peppers, and peanuts, all to emphasize the strong, almost smoky taste.

If you want to know how to cook kale, the good new is that cooking kale is easy. It is also optional because kale tastes great raw too. If you like cooked vegetables, you might like to try a southern African recipe in which the kale is boiled with ground peanuts and coconut milk and served on top of flatbread or rice. This is a very good way to enjoy a tasty vegetarian treat, which is both delicious and healthy.

By contrast, you will also find that in Europe, kale is often combined with sliced or ground up meat, especially heavily spiced sausage or ground beef. It is usually combined with potatoes, broth, and olive oil and served in such a way that will complement the meat; in this fashion, the meat does not completely obscure the taste of the greens, as it would with a milder vegetable. You will also find that kale can be quite tasty if it is chopped up and added to stir-fry, something that happens around the globe.

You might like to add some Japanese shiitake mushrooms if you are creating a kale stir-fry. Take off the kale stems and slice the leaves into large pieces. Heat some oil in a wok or frying pan and fry the garlic, mushrooms, and anything else you add on a low to medium heat. When the ingredients are tender, add the kale and any seasonings you want, such as pepper, sesame oil, and soy sauce. This tasty dish takes just minutes to make.

Kale is an extremely underrated vegetable, but with a little bit of effort, you can see how easily it slips into your diet. Take advantage of this dark green vegetable and integrate it into your daily life!

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