Kale - a Super Vegetable
Not so long ago Kale was considered good for cattle but not much else, now it is flavour of the month! It's very popular in smoothies amongst the 'clean-eaters' but it can be a bit daunting not to say bitter in that form and there are more palatable ways to enjoy the benefits of Kale. It is notable for being both high in iron and calcium.
Kale crisps with lemon and cumin
These are really worth a try, a great lower calorie snack option and good used with dips. This version uses cumin seeds as a flavouring but you could just use salt and paprika and some lemon zest is a good addition.
Makes 400g (enough for 6-8)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp sea salt flakes
A bunch of kale (roughly 1kg), washed and dried thoroughly
Rapeseed oil, for drizzling
Zest of 1 lemon
1 Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3, then make the cumin salt. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan, giving the pan a shake as you go, until the seeds start to turn darker, and the aroma deepens and gets nuttier. Remove from the pan and blend with the sea salt, either in a spice grinder or a pestle and mortar.
2 Now the kale. Strip the kale leaves from the stalks, taking care to keep them in large pieces, ideally a few centimetres wide. Toss gently, but thoroughly, in a large bowl with a good drizzle of rapeseed oil, making sure every leaf is just coated with the slightest sheen of oil. Place in a single layer on a flat baking tray and cook for 6 minutes (do this in batches if you need to). You will find that they crisp up as they cool, so don’t be alarmed if they still seem a little soft when they’re first removed from the oven.
3 Season with the cumin salt and a grating of fresh lemon zest, and serve.
Nicholas Balfe, Salon, salonbrixton.co.uk
Kale and Sausage Stew
This is perfect Autumn eating and a recipe that is easy to scale up to feed a crowd - this recipe is enough for 4. Thank you to Jamie Oliver for this one.
olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 lemon
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon crushed chillies
1 fresh bay leaf
6 sausages
1½ tablespoons plain flour
1 x 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
500 ml organic vegetable stock
1 large handful of kale
- Peel and slice the onion, then add to a pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened.
- Peel, finely slice and add the garlic, then peel 3 strips of zest from the lemon. Add to the pan along with the spices and bay leaf. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Chop the sausages and toss with the flour, then add to the pan and cook until browned all over.
- Pour in the tomatoes and stock, and bring to a simmer. Let it bubble away for 20 minutes, chop and add the kale and cook for 5 minutes, then serve.