One of my favorite cool season vegetables is kale. Not only is it tasty, it’s beautiful in the garden and most varieties are so cold tolerant they can be harvested well into winter. In late summer I direct sow crops for fall harvest and then plant seedlings in spring to enjoy before the weather heats up. Kale is a crisp, sweet green that is high in iron, vitamins A and C, and calcium. The flavor is best right after harvest, but it will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. You can find it at the grocery store, but it never tastes as good as homegrown and it is so easy to grow that you might as well try it. For this recipe the kale is lightly steamed and spiced with garlic, onion, red pepper and lime.
- Serves: 6
- Category: Side Dishes
Ingredients
- 1 pound kale, tough stems and center ribs removed and leaves torn into bit size pieces
- 2 olive oil
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 dried hot red pepper flakes
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 salt
Instructions
- In a 6 to 8 quart stock pot of water add 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Add prepared kale. Boil for 2 or 3 minutes, until slightly wilted.
- Drain in a colander and set aside.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet until hot, but not smoking.
- Add the onion and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the kale, tossing to coat. Cover the skillet and cook the kale until just tender, about 3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in lime juice. Don't skip the lime juice because it really adds to the flavor. Place the kale in a serving dish.