People often walk by kale, especially dinosaur kale, when in the grocery store or the farmer's market. Many people don't know how to cook it.
It's a vegetable that is surprisingly tasty and grows very well in Northern California. Dinosaur or Lacinato kale, as it's also known, is delicious when cooked with garlic and onions (what isn't?). The trick is to remove the stem otherwise it can make the rest of the dish bitter.
By soaking it in water, any dirt still on the leaves will drop to the bottom. Make sure to pick up the leaves from the water rather than draining; otherwise the dirt may stay on the leaves.
Once cooked, add cannellini beans* and gluten free pasta for a delicious dish. And many kids like the idea of eating anything called "dinosaur" so try it on the family.
*Many beans can contain gluten through cross contamination. If you have celiac disease, you should check with the manufacturer.
Gluten Free Dino Kale, White Beans, and Pasta (adapted from a recipe by Amy Andrews of Amy's Food Room)
Ingredients:
1 bunch of dino kale, stems removed, and chopped into small pieces
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 can of white beans (e.g. cannellini beans), drained and rinsed
1/2 lb gluten free pasta, cooked
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 Tbl good quality olive oil
Directions:
1. Place kale in a large bowl with water and allow to soak at least 5 minutes.
2. In a large saute pan, heat pan to medium. Add olive oil, onions, and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and golden; stir only occasionally, not constantly.
3. Add garlic and salt. Stir and cook 1 minute.
4. Remove the kale from the bowl by lifting it out of the bowl, not pouring the water out, and place into the saute pan. Stir briefly and cook. If necessary, add a cover to the kale to help weigh it down and cook quicker.
5. Once kale is softened, add white beans and cooked pasta. Cook until heated through.
6. Finish with parmesan cheese and good quality olive oil. Serve warm or room temp.
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