Kale

Published at

Apr-Jul, Sep-Dec

I have one standard treatment for all these sturdy, leafy greens. Dump them all into a sink full of cold water. Especially in hot weather, rehydrating the leafy greens will extend their life by days. You need enough water that the leaves float and the dirt sinks. Swish things around, then let them sit so the dirt settles. Scoop the leaves off the top and wrap them in a dish towel or paper towels and then maybe put all that into a plastic bag. Leave the bag open so moisture can escape. If you can make the time, it’s really best to go ahead and prep the leaves the way you’ll want them for your recipes. Strip leaves off stems, for example, maybe chop the leaves. Just remember that the smaller the bit of green you’re storing, the shorter the time it will keep. So chopped kale – a day or two. Whole kale leaves? Weeks. (Although weeks means the leaves get more and more wilted.)

We do receive enough greens that you may want to freeze them for using over the winter when there’s no weekly Riverview box. Best to do the traditional blanching. Prep the leaves in the form you’re most likely to use for cooking, put them into boiling water until they just turn color, then put them into a bowl of ice water to quickly cool. Drain them, squeeze out excess moisture and place in freezer storage containers.

(2023) Gut-Nourishing Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing

I’m also adding a recipe from purelyplanted.com for Gut-Nourishing Salad with Creamy Peanut Dressing which I know we will need both pre-and post-Thanksgiving’s crazy meals. Use your cabbage, daikon and greens from this week’s box to make that salad.

~Conne

(2023) Greens Grilled Cheese

I’ve been wanting to make the Greens Grilled Cheese from Steven Satterfield’s new cookbook so that, along with a pot of vegetable soup (white potatoes, peppers, greens, carrots) is what’s for dinner tomorrow. Sarah Dodge’s Colette Bakery opened just two blocks from our house and I will get down there for a loaf of her sourdough levain for those sandwiches.

Atlanta chef Steven Satterfield describes this sandwich as a “healthy-meets-decadent mash-up,” and it’s true. Use a mix of greens if possible. These sandwiches are large, half of one is plenty. Because the bread slices are so thick, the oven helps melt the cheese.

Adapted from “Vegetable Revelations” by Steven Satterfield (Harper Wave, 2023).

~Conne

(2023) Chickpea and Kale Shakshuka

I’m a big fan of shakshuka so when I saw the Chickpea and Kale Shakshuka recipe below I clipped it to try. Maybe it will appeal to you as well.

Adapted from “Family: New Vegetarian Comfort Food to Nourish Every Day” by Hetty McKinnon

(2023) Fennel Rubbed Pork Chops with Apple, Kale and Sweet Potato

Tomorrow night I’m going to make the pork chop recipe below because I deserve a nice dinner. And it will use up a number of things from the box. I’m not sure what I will do with those cucumbers. I truly feel as if I am cucumber-ed up this year and I love cucumbers. I’ll probably share with my neighbors. The apples will keep, the okra will get pan-fried to go with the pork chops, and the peppers will go into the refrigerator to come out when I return. My husband is a huge fan of pimento cheese, he may get a big batch next week.

The recipe calls for kale, but I’m going to make this with what I think is our bunch of turnip greens. And substitute our big white sweet potato for the two medium ones called for here.

(2022) Crustless Quiche Loaded with Kale

And yes, we have lots and lots of greens recipes, too, but here’s one more, Stoddard’s Crustless Quiche Loaded with Kale. I love anything that looks like a pie but doesn’t make me prepare a crust!

(2022) Chicken and Kale Casserole

This recipe is from Martha Stewart – and it’s pretty quick to make. The ricotta basically makes the sauce, so it’s not a very complicated recipe.

(2022) Grits and Greens

I’m cooking for a friend who is unable to cook for himself right now. I want to make something a bit more stick-to-your-ribs and so I’m going to make the Grits and Greens (again, recipe below) adapted from the New York Times. Their original recipe called for quick-cooking grits but I have Riverview grits in the freezer, and for collards and Swiss chard. I’ll be using the kale and Swiss chard from this week’s box.

(2021) Braising Greens Pancakes

And for a new recipe, I’m sharing another recipe from Aluma Farms, one they adapted from SmittenKitchen.com. It’s totally adaptable for whatever greens were in your box … or will be in next week’s box …. or the box the week after that.

(2021) Freekeh Salad with Roasted Kale & Cabbage (or chard!)

here’s an idea from Alexandracooks.com (one of my favorite recipe sources) for using both cabbage and kale (or chard). She adapted it from “Food 52 Vegan” by Gena Hamshaw. Almost seems like a waste to chop that pretty Savoy cabbage into pieces but … I was in South Carolina for the weekend and picked up “The Twenty Bag” for Harleston Towles. So now I have a South Carolina cabbage to go with my Georgia cabbage. The only thing they seem to be ahead of us with was their sweet onions. There were two huge onions in that bag. Can’t wait until the Riverview onions start arriving.

I love grains and greens with sweet dried fruit like raisins (or dates or even dried cranberries). Hope you’ll enjoy this, too.

Her notes about the recipe: So many vegetables could work here: cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips, carrots, squash, etc. If you are using kale and cabbage, slice the leaves relatively finely or at least try to make the vegetables you are roasting together be uniform in size so that they cook evenly. Freekeh is not something I’ve cooked with many times, but I happened to have a bag of it on hand, and I think I’ll be buying it more often. It cooks quickly and has a nice, chewy texture — it reminds me of bulgur. Freekeh is harvested when it’s young or “green” then roasted, which gives it a slightly smoky, nutty flavor. Use any grain in place of the freekeh: farro, wheat berry, quinoa, bulgur, etc. I’ve used both currants and golden raisins, but chopped dates would be nice, too — anything to add a touch of sweetness. Nuts would be a nice addition here.

(2021) Braising Greens Pancakes

I am also excited to see collards this week. If you don’t use your beet greens in the crispy beets recipe, how about adding them to the collards and making these Braised Greens Pancakes from Aluma Farm. Do you know Aluma Farm on the Westside Beltline? They put out a weekly e-blast with information about what’s available at their farmstand and occasionally provide recipes, like this one they adapted from Smitten Kitchen. It’s a valuable recipe because you can use any greens you have on hand. They cook the pancakes in a bit of oil. That’s delicious, but not necessary. I’ve made these on the griddle with just a brushing of oil or nonstick cooking spray to keep the pancakes from sticking. Served with a lemon-yogurt mixture, the result is a bit like spanakopita but without the fiddly rolling of things in phyllo. Definitely a win.

(2019) Mary Moore’s Malabar Spinach Green Drink

Mary Moore, owner of Cook’s Warehouse, adapted this recipe from one that came with her Vitamix. She’s a huge fan of Vitamix, using one at home every day for her morning smoothie and then to make soups, pestos, sauces and more. It’s the best selling blender at her shops.

(2019) Moroccan Eggplant

I also like this idea – don’t remember where it came from – that combines eggplant with peaches. Yum. Don’t let the long ingredient list stop you from trying – it’s mostly for the vinaigrette.

(2017) Kale Celery and Pineapple Power Juice

This recipe was submitted by CSA subscriber Silvia Medrano-Edelstein, the chef instructor and founder of Word of Mouth Cooking Club specializing in kid’s gourmet meal-kit prepping camps and specialty events like kiddie mocktails and gingerbread houses. Her recipes don’t include exact measurements, but you can figure it out.

(2017) Pasta with Kale Pesto

Adapted from a recipe in Saveur magazine. Have you tried making pesto with kale? Delicious. And no telling how long kale will still be coming in, so enjoy while you can. Blanching the kale keeps the pesto a bright green. Not entirely necessary, but a nice touch.

(2017) Grilled Kale Salad with Bacon Dressing

Grilled kale? Yes. Wish I remembered where this recipe came from, but grilled kale is lovely. And no fiddly chopping the kale. Just remove the stems and then grill. It’s a take on the classic spinach salad with bacon dressing.

(2017) Baked Greens Rice

Another go-to recipe that works for all kinds of greens including cabbage. Fancier than the pasta, works great for a special dinner. Love the addition of dried fruit.

(2017) Wilted Greens Pasta

This is my go-to for any greens that show up in the box. Delicious with kale but amazing with cabbage. (If that bok choy from last week is still in the refrigerator, try it in this recipe.) Takes no longer to make than it takes to cook the pasta. No idea where I got this idea originally.

(2017) Kale and Lettuce and Strawberry Salad

So you’ll eat many of those strawberries just as they are but when you’re ready for a recipe, try this salad from Jenny Levison of Souper Jenny. Again, it’s adapted from a chef demo at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market.

Goat Cheese, Radish and Kale Spread

This easy spread, created by event planner and caterer Lisa Rochon, won an honorable mention at Peachtree Road Farmers Market’s 2010 “Market Mash-Up” vendor recipe contest. Her mash-up involved using goat cheese, garlic, herbs, kale and radishes from different farmers at the market. The recipe works as a dip, a simple appetizer or first course served with sliced bread or as the base for a fabulous sandwich.

Notes on Greens

Greens storage: All of the sturdy greens (chard, bok choy, cabbage, kale) should be stored the same way. Put them into a plastic bag and leave it unsealed. Put into your vegetable crisper. The outer leaves may wilt, but the inner leaves will be fine. And for other uses for your greens: think about braises, making Read More…

Kale and Mushroom Stroganoff

Place the porcini mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and pour it over the porcinis. Let the mushrooms sit until softened, about 12 minutes. Using a fork, transfer the porcinis to a cutting board (be careful not to disturb the gritty sediment Read More…

Southern Pickled Kale

Pine Street Market entered this dish in the 2012 Market Mashup at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. It’s sort of fun that it doesn’t include any of their own ingredients.

Kale Tabouli

For years I was a tabbouleh purist. I grew up with a Syrian mom, we ate tabouli every week. And it was four ingredients – chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions and softened bulgur – dressed with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. That was it.

But, I’ve come to appreciate tabouli as a way to enjoy all kinds of greens. And when faced with a huge mound of beautiful greens as in this week’s box, I’m glad to have a way to reduce some of that volume in a delicious way.

This recipe is adapted from one on the Food52 blog. No parsley? No cucumber? Don’t let that stop you. They used quinoa – I’d still just make it with softened bulgur (cracked wheat). Bulgur requires no cooking – much friendlier in the kitchen on these steamy days.

Spicy Greens

This recipe from a chef demo at the Sunday morning Clarkston Farmers Market is a great way to use up any number of greens. You could make this with your kale, chard, daikon radish greens …. even the bok choy or napa cabbage.

Marinated Kale and Chickpea Salad with Sumac Onions

There are a million kale salad recipes out there, and no doubt you’ve already got a few favorites. I like this one with its Middle Eastern touch of sumac. You can buy sumac at Sevananda or any store that carries Middle Eastern groceries. It has a nice tartness and pretty red color. Substitute another spice, like Spanish paprika, or herb, like thyme, if you don’t have any on hand and don’t want to find it. But the nice thing about buying spices and herbs at places like Sevananda is that you can literally buy just a teaspoon and try it out – no huge investment in a jar that will sit in your pantry for years.

This method of tempering onions is a great one to have in your repertoire. Cuts the bite but leaves you the crunch and the flavor.

Slow Cooker Red Curry Soup with Chicken and Greens

I’ll be making this recipe adapted from one on seriouseats.com because I have some red curry paste leftover from testing recipes and am delighted to have yet another use for it. Not to mention, what’s not to love about a slow cooker recipe? Easy, and dinner is done while you’re off doing other things. You could use the Swiss chard or the bok choy if you have another plan for your kale, and vary the other vegetables by what you have on hand.

Sweet and Spicy Quinoa Hash

From Women’s Health magazine. This recipe is for one serving, scale up according to how many folks you’re planning to feed.

Skillet Kale and Butternut Squash Pasta

Were you excited to see kale in your box? I’m ready for this dish that combines kale with butternut squash and pasta. Just says “comfort food” to me. No shallot? Leave it out or substitute some onion or garlic. The pasta cooks in the same skillet – easy cleanup.

Kale Smoothie

A recipe from Women’s Health magazine. It’s just one idea – use the fruits and herbs you prefer. I’m just behind the times and haven’t thought about a kale smoothie – maybe you’ve been making them for years!

Crispy Kale Salad with Lime Dressing

Made this recipe last week. Yum. It’s from Battersby restaurant in Brooklyn. It uses kale two ways – crisped and raw. Pea tendrils are available at local farmers markets when in season.

Ideas for Kale and Celery

How nice to keep getting kale into July. Kale is definitely the trendy vegetable. They’re even talking about it on the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-ramsey-md/health-benefits-kale_b_3529768.html. I’m including one smoothie recipe here, but check out this Serious Eats post about kale cocktails:http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2013/06/cocktails-with-kale-juice-recipes-green-juice-in-cocktails-rum-drinks-gin-whiskey.html. Did you try last week’s celery? And now another bunch this week. Wonderful! Obviously you noticed Read More…

“Cheezy” Kale Chips

I’m a new convert to nutritional yeast. It’s great in pestos as a substitute for Parmesan, and here it lends its’ “cheesy” flavor to kale chips. This is adapted from a recipe from Whole Foods.

Grilled Kale Sandwich

I love hiding vegetables in sandwiches. Sometimes, those are the only vegetables my husband may eat all day. Sorry that I don’t remember the provenance of this recipe. This idea works well with any cooked greens you have on hand – as long as they’re well-drained. Who can resist a grilled cheese (and vegetable) sandwich?

Pasta with Tart Greens

This recipe would work with arugula and mustard greens. They’re tender enough that everything could be cooked quickly. I can’t remember the recipe’s original source.

Broiled Salmon with Kale and White Beans

I wish I could remember where this recipe came from. It’s an easy weeknight dinner, and even better if you’re one of those cooks who instead of opening a can of beans, prepares your own beans, using your favorite dried beans, flavoring them just the way you like them, slowly simmering them into submission and then freezing what you don’t eat right away in dinner-size portions.

Kale and Peach Salad

Have you had a chance to attend any of the chef demos at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market? Seth Freedman cooks at 6pm each Thursday, demonstrating really lovely, simple recipes. Here are two I thought you might enjoy.

Roasted Garlic and Smoky Greens Soup

Adapted from a recipe chow.com. You can dress up this soup with a poached egg for a very elegant dinner. Another option for using up some of that garlic! And if you don’t have smoked paprika in your pantry, buy some!

Smoked Chile Collard Greens

One more collard green recipe – this one from Bobby Flay’s “Bar Americain Cookbook”. You can always cook the beet greens along with the collards to make up that 2 1/2 pounds the recipe calls for.

Garbanzo Beans and Hearty Greens

This is a recipe from Cooking Light magazine. Just the collards or beet greens. Either will work. You may want this dish longer in the last step, depending on how tender you want your greens.

No smoked paprika? It’ll be fine. But really – buy some the next time you’re at the market. It’s wonderful.

Winter Greens with Olives and Capers

And we can certainly be sure that more greens are in our future. Here’s an idea from “Okra”, the magazine of the Southern Food and Beverage Association.

Greens with Peppers and Ham

Our final pepper recipe also features greens. Now you have an amazing assortment of greens in this week’s box. My box had a few collard leaves, a bunch of mustard greens, all the tops from those hareuki turnips and the greens from the kohlrabi. I have to say that the kohlrabi bulbs are so small (believe me, they’ll get bigger as the season goes on) that I just cleaned them and sliced them up to eat raw with the hareuki turnips. Then the greens went into the sink with all the others. I’ll be making the gumbo z’herbes we featured last year. I can’t find the recipe in the archive, so I’ll make a note to include it next week.

Anyway, here’s a recipe from chef Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol, also demonstrated last year at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. It uses greens and peppers. Hernandez’ version was all collards, but this mixture of greens in the box would work just fine. You cook the greens separately, then add them as an ingredient. Just steam the greens unless you have some leftover from another meal. Love that this will use up some of your jalapenos and tomatoes as well.

Winter Greens Lasagna

And one more recipe for greens, this one for a variation on lasagna. It’s from a recipe writer named Amy Wisniewski. If you haven’t used your greens in lasagna, give this a try. With the heavy cream and crème fraîche it’s pretty rich. You could substitute a white sauce made with skim milk instead.

MellowBellies Frittata

And here’s one more recipe for greens – a frittata. Bake it in a pie plate and cut into wedges for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. Bake it in a square pan and cut into bite size pieces for a pre-dinner nibble. It’s good at room temperature, hot or cold, and accommodates whatever greens you want to put into it. The recipe will also accommodate whatever cheese you have on hand. It’s hard to go wrong here. I’ve included a method for steaming greens in the microwave. I prefer to do that instead of heating up the kitchen with lots of boiling water. But you should use whatever method you prefer.

Brown Butter Creamed Winter Greens

he following very chef-y recipe is from Linton Hopkins, he of Restaurant Eugene/Holeman & Finch fame. It was published in the Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook. It’s a little time consuming, but what a beautiful indulgence that will use up all the greens in the box this week. It’s a nice reminder of how delicious a little browned butter can be.