Followed by images like this:
Yes ladies and gents, Chris really likes kale -- a lot. I made a pan of crispy, garlic-roasted kale a few nights ago, and he devoured it. If kale were a person, I'd be nervous about this new love affair, but since I can chop it up, cook it and eat it, I'm not worried. And, there are benefits to his passion for this lovely green, leafy vegetable. Like this great recipe from the February 2013 issue of Bon Appétit magazine: Orecchiette with Kale and Breadcrumbs. It's easy to make -- Chris actually did most of the work, I just helped a bit with the kale (to keep an eye on things). Here's the recipe. Give it a try.
Notes:
- You need about one pound of kale. I ordered this awesome 1lb. tub of washed, cut mixed kale from Satur Farms (via FreshDirect) and it worked like a charm.
- To get rid of excess water from the kale, I folded it in a couple of sheets of Bounty paper towels and squeezed. Best paper towels ever, btw.
- We didn't have orecchiette, so we used whole wheat rotini. We also had about a cup of leftover, plain, cooked penne in the fridge and while I was against it, because a) I hate leftovers and b) the penne would stand out and ruin the gorgeous look of the finished dish, Chris stirred it in with the cooked pasta at the end of the recipe. It still tasted great, so what do I know?
- The breadcrumbs are the best part -- if you don't have fresh breadcrumbs, panko can work in a pinch. But whatever you do, don't leave them out. They add a rich, garlicky crunch to the dish.
- There are anchovies in the recipe. If you must, you can leave them out, but why would you? You won't even know they're in there and they add amazing flavor. Delicious.
Maybe it's your turn to fall in love with kale...I see the beginning of a great relationship.
xoxo
