Kale Recipes

Kale From kale chips to massaged kale salad, kale can be used in so many dishes. Here on the farm, we grow green, red Russian, lacinato, and Nash’s own red kale. Try them all in soups, salads, casseroles, sautees, or any other delicious concoctions.

In the cold months, kales get sweeter. For this hardy brassica, sugar acts as an anti-freeze. Historically, kale has been particularly important in the cuisines of the colder regions of Europe due to its resistance to frost.

Kale has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. In Europe. It was the most popular green vegetable until the Middle Ages when cabbages took the lead. In nineteenth century Scotland, kail was used as a generic term for ‘dinner’ and all kitchens featured a kail-pot for cooking.

Today, kale is enjoying a tremendous resurgence, and small wonder. At just 33 calories, one cup of raw kale has nearly 3 grams of protein; 2.5 grams of fiber; vitamins A, C, and K; folate, a B vitamin that’s key for brain development; alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid; plus phyto-chemicals that give kale its dark green coloring and protect against diseases of the eyes like macular degeneration. Minerals include phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and zinc. It’s a SUPER FOOD!

Kale is very simple to sauté. Pull the green, leafy parts off the stems and break into bite-sized pieces. Lightly sauté in olive oil, with minced garlic, and salt and pepper. You can also coat with oil and bake in a very low oven for kale chips. Add kale to your juice for a real nutrient hit.

Massaged Kale Salad

The concept behind “massaging” kale with salt, lemon juice and olive oil is that the kale leaves will soften and relax, not just because you are rubbing them with the citrus juice and oil, but because the acid in the juice helps breaks down fibers in the kale and makes it taste sweeter.

Even your kale deserves a good massage. Any type of kale will work well with this recipe — try them all to find the one you like best!

1 bunch Nash’s kale, any type
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (optional)

De-stem one bunch of Nash’s kale and break the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Mix them with salt and lemon juice. Massage the leaves thoroughly for about 5 minutes, then add olive oil and massage for 1 minute more. The kale should be noticeably softer and darker. You could also add honey or maple syrup if you prefer a slightly sweeter salad. Yes, your hands will be oily, but your kale will love you for it!

Toss kale leaves with:

• Toasted nuts (pine nuts, almonds, pecans)
• Dried cherries, currants, or cranberries
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, or crumbled Feta
• Sprouted quinoa or cooked whole Nash’s triticale or wheat berries
• Sliced radishes, baby white turnips, cucumbers, or zucchini

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on August 9, 2013

Strata: Savory Bread Pudding

Nourish, Sequim’s new garden-to-plate restaurant and gathering place, is featuring a series of meals created using items from Nash’s farm share boxes each week. This recipe combines good-for-you greens with sweet onions in a fluffy egg base. Yum!

8 servings

4 cups cubed day-old bread, with crust
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large Walla Walla onions, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped spinach or kale, steamed and squeezed dry
10 large eggs
2 cups grated cheese
3 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Our spinach rotations are rockin’ and rollin’ in the fields!

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Put the bread on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Combine the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, toss to coat in the butter, season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, onions, spinach and other veggies. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 1/2 cups cheese, milk, heavy cream, mustard, 1 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme and nutmeg.

Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. Add the bread cubes to the baking dish, and then pour the egg mixture over the bread cubes and press down to make sure the bread is totally submerged.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the strata uncovered until the mixture has puffed up slightly, is golden brown on top and doesn’t shimmy with uncooked custard when you shake the pan, about 1 hour. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on August 8, 2013

Garlic Scape/Kale Pizza

Mmmmm, garlic scapes…

1 large pizza dough (see recipe below)
1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
Grated Mozzarella cheese
1 bunch garlic scapes, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 large leaves of kale, rinsed and dried, de-ribbed, cut into small pieces
Handful of fresh basil

Preheat a grill on high for 5 minutes. In the meantime roll out the dough so that it will fit onto the grill. Cover one side of the pizza with olive oil and place that side down on the grill. Lower the heat to medium and let grill for about 4 minutes. Check the pizza after two minutes to poke any air bubbles.

Check the underside of the pizza after 4 minutes. It should lift off easily and be lightly charred. Slide the dough off of the grill onto a cutting board. Top the cooked side with the tomato sauce then the fresh basil. Sprinkle some mozzarella over the sauce. Top with the kale and garlic scapes. Slide the pizza back onto the grill and grill for about 6 minutes or until the bottom side is cooked.

Classic Pizza Dough
Makes 2 ten-inch crusts
1 cup warm water (a bit warmer than body temperature)
2 teaspoons yeast (dry)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh herbs
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups Nash’s soft white flour and 1 cup Nash’s hard red flour

Put the water in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar, stir and let stand until foamy (5-10 minutes). Add oil, herbs, salt, and 1 cup of the flour and mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. If it becomes too difficult to mix with a spoon, use your hands.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Lightly coat the dough with oil, return to the unclean bowl, and cover the bowl with a damp towel. Let it sit in a warm place until the dough has doubled in bulk (1 – 1 1/2 hours). Pinch the dough and divide it into 2 pieces. Form each dough into a ball and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes. Roll each dough into 10 inch circles. If you prefer a thinner pizza, roll out to 12 inches.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on August 6, 2013

Grain and Bean Soup

“I like to stir in a big handful of cheese and garnish the top with some as well!” says Lynne Vea, PCC Chef.

1 cup Nash’s dried kidney beans (or any other dried beans, such as cannellini, navy, adzuki, black-eyed peas, etc. in any combination)
1/2 cup Nash’s whole grain wheat berries (kamut or barley also work)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon rosemary
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 can (14 ounces) Muir Glen Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (or your favorite brand)
1/2 cup lentils (optional)
2 cups frozen tortellini
2 cups winter greens, such as chard, kale or collards, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Romano or Parmigiana cheese for garnish

Soak the beans and grains together in about 3 cups of cold water overnight. Drain and proceed with the recipe.

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the vegetables and herbs for 5 minutes. Add 6 cups of the stock, the tomatoes and the soaked beans and grains. Add the lentils here if you are using them. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the beans are tender. (Add a little more stock if the mixture is too thick.) Stir in the tortellini and the greens and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes more or until the pasta is just al dente. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve garnished with freshly grated Romano or Parmigiana cheese.

We thank Lynne Vea, PCC Chef, for this recipe. It appeared originally in PCC Fresh in January 2010.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on May 8, 2013