Kale – Grow. Cook. Eat.

September 15, 2011

Preserving Summer – Basil, Kale and Chilies

Every year, I grow far more produce than I can actually consume on my own . I can’t help myself, though… Even the seemingly small number of basil plants (only 4) generates far more fragrant leaves than I could eat, even if I were to eat pesto at every meal during the summer. And those kales seeds are so tiny that 4 short rows of plants barely feels like anything until I start cutting 2 gallons of leaves a week.

So I’ve developed all sorts of strategies for preservation.

The past few years, I’ve tried several strategies for freezing basil, both of which I like.

I puree the basil with a little olive oil and then spoon it into ice cube trays. Once the basil is frozen, I transfer it to a Ziploc bag for more compact storage.
I put the dry basil leaves in a Ziploc bag. They get dry and brittle, and crumble.

I intentionally opted against pesto because I don’t want to commit to the flavor profile. And truthfully, I just don’t eat that much pesto.

With the kale, when I harvest more than I can eat in a single meal, I sauté the rest with garlic and freeze it. By now, I’ve got a half dozen quart bags stacked in the freezer.

For the jalapenos, I cut them into rings, simmer them in oil and then freeze them in ice cube trays. When the pepper cubes are frozen, I transfer them to a ziploc bag.

This year, I’m trying something semi-new…. Making a few pounds of herb butter. I’ve made the herb butter before, but never in bulk. I like this idea because I can also incorporate the tarragon and scallions.

Yes, I know, it’s committing to a flavor profile. But this is a profile I really like. And I can still freeze some herbs plain.

What are your strategies for perserving the summer harvest?

Herb Butter
¼ cup fresh tarragon
¼ cup fresh chives or scallions
¼ cup fresh parsley (or 1 tsp. dried)
¼ cup fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)
2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 pound butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop herbs and fennel seeds. Mix with butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Roll into logs and wrap in parchment paper. Freeze.

August 28, 2011

Cooking Up a Storm (Recipe: Eggplant with Miso and Spicy Mayo)

Despite all the panic inspired by the TV hype of Hurricane Irene, I went about my usual routine for the most part. Since I live in the city, I know all the markets will be open come Monday morning and I can easily walk, even if I need to climb over a few tree stumps, to Whole Foods. All summer, I’ve been loading up the freezer with kale from the garden and corn from the farmers’ market. I have a hefty stash of canned tomatoes. And just last week, I bought several steaks from two different meat CSA farms that I’m thinking of joining. Along with a well-stocked liquor cabinet, I could easily survive a week.

The one preparatory step I took was to harvest as much as I could from the garden. The only plant I’m really concerned about is the tomato – the harsh weather could bring an untimely end to the growing season. The rest of the veggies will be okay. But knowing that I won’t want to venture outside in the sheeting rain, I picked plenty of eggplant, broccoli, kale and herbs so that I could cook up a storm while I waited out Hurricane Irene.

Taking a Japanese theme, I cooked up variations Nasu Dengaku (miso rubbed eggplant) and Gomae Spinach (chilled spinach salad with sesame dressing). I topped the eggplant with spicy scallops, and used kale instead of spinach. The recipe for the sesame dressing on the kale can be found here.

Eggplant with Miso and Spicy Scallops
Adapted mostly from The Farmer’s Kitchen with the additional inspiration from Nobu .

Eggplant from my garden has no bitterness. The step of salting keeps the eggplant from absorbing oil when being fried.

2 eggplants
½ cup miso
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup mirin
¼ cup sake or dry sherry

½ cup mayonnaise
1 tbs. lan chi chili paste
½ pound dry sea scallops

½ cup oil
Salt
Scallions to garnish

1.    Cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Generously sprinkle salt on the cut side and let sit for 20 minutes.
2.    Make the miso sauce: combine the miso, sugar, mirin and sake in a small sauce pot. Cook over low heat until well combined and the sugar is dissolved.
3.    Brush the excess salt off the eggplant. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the oil. Cook the eggplant, cut side down, for 5 minutes or until deeply golden brown. Turn the eggplant over and cook for one minute more. Remove from pan, at put on a cookie sheet, cut side up.
4.    Mix the mayonnaise with chili paste. Cut the scallops into chunks. Toss the scallops with the spicy mayonaise. Top the eggplant with the scallop mix.
5.    Broil the eggplant for 5 minutes or until mayo starts to glaze. Remove from oven and drizzle miso on top. Continue to broil for another few minutes before serving. Garnish with scallions.

From the garden: eggplant, kale, scallions, garlic
From the Farmers' Market/Freezer: scallops
From the pantry: everything else.

June 15, 2011

War of the Aphids

Lacinto (or dinosaur) Kale has made an appearance in my garden for the last several years. For the most part it grows very well – providing a consistent bounty of fresh leaves from June through the first snowfall (November). In fact, it does so well, that I have enough for dinner most nights with leftovers to freeze for the winter.

Though it does grow well, I think I can do better. For starters, I’m still trying to figure out a way to mitigate the aphids. They loooove the brassicas…. Up until last year, they were just a nuisance… trying to rid the leaves of the glue-like mites before cooking up the leaves. And I got pretty good at it.

But last year, things got out of control. In addition to covering the kale plants, the Brussels sprouts plants died entirely. I did not harvest a single one. And this, despite repeated sprayings with organic, anti-aphid spray and a introduction of ladybugs, which supposedly feast on the aphids. And I thought I was taking drastic measures!

This year, I’m trying another strategy…planting rows of marigolds around the kale and Brussels sprouts. I’ve been told that marigolds repel insects… we shall see if it works. But at the very least, it adds a new level of beauty to the garden.

Do you have a strategy to protect your garden against insects?

December 15, 2010

Spanish Highlights (Recipe: Chick Pea Spaetzle with Kale and Jamon)

One of the first questions friends asked when I returned from Spain was “What was the best thing you ate?”

I’m not good with that question, though I was able to narrow down 30 meals (and countless dishes) into a top three list.

Easily, the first meal made the list… I arrived in Fuengirola, a non-descript resort town on the Mediterranean Sea at 1pm after 14 hours of travel. Bleary-eyed and jet-lagged, I knew I the best thing would be to stay awake until at least 10 pm. But all I could manage was a walk along the beach (and I also discovered that napping on the beach is much better than napping in a dark hotel room). Along the beach promenade, I stumbled into a little café displaying impeccably fresh fish. I ordered fried whitebait with lemon. Whitebait is not a specific fish, but a generic term for small, slivery fish that could be fresh (uncured) herring, smelts or anchovies. They are served whole as their size makes the entire fish – from head to tail - edible. These fish were crispy without being greasy, and had a bright taste of lemon that tamed the richness of the fish. With the bright sun, refreshing sea breezes and a crisp glass of white Rioja, I was in heaven.

The second on the list came from a Michelin one-star restaurant in the hill-top town of Ronda. Tragabuches serves multi-course tasting menus in a simply elegant dining room just off the main square. Slowly coddled egg yolk with egg-white foam and cock’s comb were topped with a whiff of truffle. The cock’s comb had the texture of meaty mushrooms – tender, earthy yet firm.

By the time I arrived in Barcelona, a week into my travels, my body craved vegetables. As much as I tried to get my “5-a-day” through the course of my travels, it was not as easy as I would have liked. I picked up fruit at one of the farmers’ markets and headed to dinner. I ordered a dish of chick peas and spinach. It had just enough jamon, olive oil and garlic to give it the Spanish flavor, but packed with enough spinach that I actually felt like I did something good for my body. And I loved every bite. So much so that I went back two days later and ordered it again.

When I returned to Cambridge, I decided to make a variation on that dish. I made spaetzle with chick pea flour and tossed it with chick peas, kale (still growing abundantly in my garden) and bits of jamon bellota.

Chick Pea Spaetzle with Kale and Jamon
2 cups chick pea flour
½ – 1 cup of milk
2 eggs
3 tbs. olive oil
Pinch cayenne
3 cloves garlic
1 cup cooked chick peas
1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
3 slices jamon or prosciutto, coarsely chopped

Salt pepper and lemon juice to taste.

1.    Make the spaetzle batter: Sift together the flour, salt and cayenne. Whisk in the eggs, 1tbs. olive oil and milk. If the batter is too stiff, add more milk. You want the consistency of pancake batter.
2.    Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season generously with salt.
3.    Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic. When it becomes fragrant, add the ham. Cook for 1 minute before adding the kale and chick peas. Cook until the kale is bright green and wilted. Season with lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside.
4.    When water is boiling, push spaetzle dough through a spaetzle maker or a large whole colander. (You may need to cook them in batches, depending on the size of your pot). Wait until they float to the top and cook for 3 minute more. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and add them with the chick-pea/kale mixture.
5.    Reheat just before serving.

August 23, 2010

Diversity, Or Lack Thereof (Recipe: Socca Crepe with Kale)

Despite all the diversity I’ve had in the garden throughout the season – starting with radishes and beets, then lettuces, strawberries and garlic, I never have a big bang. After a small hit of broccoli and eggplant, I’m just harvesting cucumbers, kale and tomatoes.

I’m eating kale at just about every meal, and I don’t tire of it. But it gets boring when trying to keep my blog content fresh. Even so, kale will continue to be a staple in my garden. With just $2 worth of seeds, I harvest about 2 gallons of leaves a week for 12 weeks. That’s enough to sate me in vegetables and freeze many quart bags to get me through winter. Talk about bang for your buck! Better still, kale is a nutritional powerhouse – there is no food that has more nutritional value per calorie than kale. Win-win if you ask me.

So I will continue to offer you recipes for kale as I figure out new ways to serve it.

This recipe was inspired by the Southern France street-food – socca. A chick pea crepe baked in a cast-iron skillet.

Instead of serving it like a quesadilla, cut into pie-shaped wedges, I rolled the crepe around a filling of wilted kale, pine nuts and currants, and served it with roast chicken and tomatoes.

Crepes
½ cups chick pea flour
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup water (or a mix of cream and water)
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for cooking
1 bunch kale, washed and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs. pine nuts
2 tbs. currants or raisins
¼ tsp. curry powder

1. Sift flours with salt and pepper. Make a well in the center. Add the egg and water. Whisk to incorporate. Add the olive oil. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream. Let rest for 30 minutes

2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, raisins and garlic. When garlic starts to brown add the curry powder and pine nuts. Cook for 1 minute more and add the greens. Cook until just wilted. Coarsely chop the greens. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brush the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Pour in a thin layer of batter, and cook until set. Flip over and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove from pan and repeat process until all the crepes are made.

4. Roll each crepe like a cigar with about 1/2 cup of filling. Reheat just before serving. And slice in half.

July 23, 2010

I’m Not Scared (Recipe: Kale Chips)

I don’t scare easily – and certainly not when it comes to food. I’ve eaten snails and made my own rice paper. I’ve even milked a cow.
But for some reason, the thought of making kale chips scared me.

I didn’t believe that something so simple and straightforward would really work. I even laughed at the recipe on Epicurious.com… underneath the ingredient “list” of kale and olive oil was a clickable button to for printing the recipe. But everybody was doing it, and I didn’t want to miss out.

Given the abundance in the kale patch, it seemed worthy of a try. What’s the worst that could happen? The seeds in total cost me $2, and the portion of kale required for the recipe was probably less than a dime.

The technique is quite simple. Cut the rib out of the kale leaves. Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them out on a single layer and bake at 250F for 30 minutes.

And that’s what I did.

Sure enough, it worked! The leaves dried to a translucent, deep green and showed no sign of gray – which I worried would be the case after 20 minutes in the oven. The chips are surprisingly light and delicate. And for the most part, they weren’t greasy.

The recipe from Epicurious recommended dehydrating the leaves for 30 minutes. Perhaps it was my oven or the lighter texture of my home-grown kale, but they were ready in 20 minutes.

July 6, 2010

Drought-Like (Recipe: Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Beet Lyonnaise)

We haven’t had rain in New England in about 2 weeks, and there is none in the forecast for the next one. Temperatures are predicted to hit 90F every day this week. Technically, though, this is not a drought. Perhaps, the water tables are still high from the flooding we had in March.

Drought or no drought, my garden is parched as can be. On the bright side, it makes weeding much easier. The soil is so dry that the weeds, roots and all, pluck out easily.

If I were to employ proper watering technique, I would need to water only every 3 days. That means saturating the soil 6 – 8 inches deep. While the moisture from the top layer is susceptible to evaporation, this gives a buffer and the roots can still pull the moisture up. When I water, I only manage to get about 1 inch deep. I think it’s just a matter of patience, or lack thereof. I water for about 15 minutes and then I get bored… I really need a sprinkler system to spray for at least one hour.

The other factor to consider when watering is the timing: water either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The foliage needs a chance to dry before the sun hits them. Otherwise the leaves will burn. Also, this gives the water a chance to seep deep into the soil before evaporating from the heat of the sun.

Despite my less than stellar watering habits, I was still able to harvest several beets. And they were as sweet as can be.

Pistachio and Horseradish Crusted Salmon with Beet Lyonnaise

This recipe is adapted from Daniele Baliani. We worked together under Lydia Shire, and again when I had my business Interactive Cuisine. Today, you can find him heading up the kitchen at Il Casale.

Beet Lyonnaise

1medium onion, julienned
4 medium sized beets, peeled and sliced
2 oz. double smoked bacon

Salmon

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 salmon filets
2 tbs. prepared horseradish
1/2 cup crushed pistachios
Salt and pepper to taste

1. For the beets: place the bacon in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the smoked bacon., and cook until it begins to release its fat. Add the julienned onions and cook until soft and translucent. Add the sliced beets. Continue cooking over medium high heat until the beets are tender (Note: as the beets cook they will release a bit of water. If the heat is too low, the beets will release too much water and boil and you will end up with beet soup! If the heat is too high, they will stick to the pan and burn! Be careful and watch this step closely) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. For the salmon: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper. In a medium skillet, add 2 tbs. of olive oil. Brown salmon on both sides and transfer filets to a cookie sheet. Rub each filet with the prepared horseradish. Sprinkle pistachios on top of the filets. And bake for 7 – 10 minutes until a crust has formed.

You can serve the salmon with a watercress salad, I opted for a bed of wilted kale from the garden.

From the garden: beets, garlic, kale

June 23, 2010

An Old Favorite – Re-imagined.

The other night I used the garlic scape in a fit of desperation – wanting the garlic flavor but nary a clove to be found in the house. A delicious dinner to be sure, it wasn’t the best show case for this spring delicacy. So today, the experiments began in earnest.

I queried my friends for suggestions – most of the recipe suggestions in cyberspace are for pesto – and Daniel suggested stir-fried with kale, bacon and lemon. With the kale ready for its first harvest, this was a great variation of my favorite kale recipe, and a great way to pull together the flavors of the garden.

Kale Sautéed with Bacon, Scapes and Lemon

2 slices bacon, diced
½ pound kale, coarsely chopped
2 – 3 garlic scapes, chopped
¼ tsp. chili flakes (optional)
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large a large skillet. Add the bacon and cook until the fat starts to render, and the bacon begins to brown. Drain off excess fat.

To the bacon pan, add the scapes and chili flakes, and then the kale. Cook for 3 minutes, or until kale is wilted and tender.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon on top just before serving.

December 21, 2009

Frost Bitten (Recipe: Savory Greens and Potatoes)

photo credit: Christine Bergmark, Even' Star Organic Farm

The process of breeding greens for winter-tolerance takes many years. Each spring, after the grueling winter winds have dissipated and the snow has melted, Farmer Brett inspects his fields for survivors. In a field of thousands of plants, maybe 10 have withstood the elements. Before the plants begin to flower, he transplants them within 50 feet of each other. When the plants flower, several weeks later, the bees can pollinate them. And after the plants flower, they generate seeds for subsequent years’ plantings. After several years of breeding out weak plants, Brett has robust and flavorful plants.

Last week, Brett came north to the New England Fruit and Vegetable Conference to talk about cold hardy greens and how New England farmers can adapt this process to the more severe winters.

He brought with him several varieties of greens for sampling and also for cooking dinners at the end of the meetings. The greens are spicy and full of flavor and texture. The overnight frosts that Maryland experienced (before the two feet of snow from two days ago), causes a chemical reaction in the plants which makes them sweeter.

The recipe for Savory Potatoes and Greens comes from his Winter CSA cookbook. I used basil from my garden (that I froze in August) to season the dish.

SAVORY VEGETARIAN GREENS AND POTATOES
3 average sized russet potatoes, washed but with skins on
salted water to cover
1 bag (gallon) any of our cooking greens
3 – 6 T mix of olive and neutral oils
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 t black pepper
½ to 1 t salt
½ bunch scallions
fresh herbs, or 1 t dried oregano, basil, or rosemary

1. Gently boil potatoes until just cooked (skins aren’t all coming off, and a sharp knife inserted into spud encounters a teeny resistance). Remove from pot with a slotted spoon. Let cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces. Use same water to barely blanch greens, and be sure to shock in an ice bath. Drain in colander, and push out all extra water. Chop coarsely. Set aside. In a heavy skillet (works best in seasoned cast iron), sauté onion and garlic ‘til barely soft. Add potatoes and fry, scraping pan bottom often and adding more oil if needed. When potatoes have started to brown, add greens, herbs, and chopped scallion. Cook two minutes more. If needed, season further before serving: this should be hearty, not bland.

2. Can nicely be served with a dollop of sour cream, or of home-made guacamole, or with grated cheddar or Monterey jack, on top. Also really good with 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed (added to skillet right before spuds go in) in lieu of or in addition to other herbs. Hot peppers complement the latter approach well.

November 20, 2009

One for the Road (Recipe: Chap Jae)

The (holiday) travel season is upon us.

Boarding Passes? Printed.

Luggage? Packed.

Food?

Most airports highway rest-stops are food-challenged. Though driving offers more flexibility, the last thing I want to do is divert my route for decent food when I still have 5 hours to go. Whenever I travel, I pack a picnic.

Menu planning takes into account the obvious that I want to satiate my hunger and eat healthy. It needs to travel well and pack light. But perhaps most important, the meal must stave off any cravings I might have for crappy food along the way — I’ll admit I’m enticed by the aroma of Cinna-bons in the airport or fried chicken at highway rest-stops.

My picnic basket usually includes snacky foods like carrot sticks and whole wheat crackers. To satisfy my (limited) sweet tooth, I buy a bag of Stacy’s Cinnamon Pita chips. They aren’t the healthiest, but certainly better than the other sweet options.

For my main meal, I usually pack something that requires a fork (but no knife), so I feel like I’m really eating a meal.

Chap Jae, a Korean noodle dish, is a wonderful complete meal – with vegetables, starch and protein. It has plenty of umami from the dried mushrooms and soy sauce, which makes it extra satisfying. Like many Asian stir-fries, it’s also a great way to use up bits of left-over vegetables in the pantry. In my case, I gleaned a few leaves of kales, celery and scallions from the garden.

What's your go-to road-food?

Chap Jae
½ pound sweet potato noodles (found in Asian Markets) or vermicelli
½ pound boneless chicken or beef, cut into thin strips
5 dried mushrooms, rehydrated in warm water
3 scallions
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce + extra for seasoning
1 tablespoon sesame oil + extra for cooking
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
1 onion, peeled and sliced thin
Extra soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar for seasoning.

Julienne of Vegetables, which can include any or all of the following:
Carrots
Red Peppers
Kale
Celery
Bamboo Shoots
Broccoli
Green Beans

1. In a bowl, combine the thin strips of meat and mushrooms with soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and scallions. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. If using sweet potato noodles, cook for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. If using wheat vermicelli, cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add sesame oil and onions. Cook onions until soft. Add chicken and mushrooms and continue cooking until meat is cooked through. Add vegetables. When vegetables are tender, remove from heat.
4. To the same pan, add another bit of sesame oil. Stir fry noodles over high heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the vegetables and meat.
5. Adjust seasoning with extra soy sauce, sesame oil and/or sugar.