Produce of the Week; Kale Blend
This first round of kale this year will be a mixture of Red Russian, Purple Curly, Japanese Flowering and Black Dino. This blend will offer you different textures, flavours, colours and a wide range of different nutrients. This is NOT your normal boring kale! Let’s dive a little into each kind.
To store Kale, wrap the leaves in a loose bundle with a paper towel or a thin cotton kitchen towel, place them in a large, sealable bag, and refrigerate in the crisper drawer for up to a week.
Purple Curly; frilly, curled leaves that have deep purple stems and veins running throughout. It has a mild cabbage-like flavour and crisp texture. Its bright magenta colour is best retained if left raw, but should be finely shredded to mitigate its hardy texture. When cooked it becomes tender and nutty with a mild earthy sweetness. It does lose some of its intense pigmentation when cooked. The leaves may be steamed, braised, stewed, fried, sautéed, and even baked like a chip.
Red Russian; richly coloured burgundy stems and purple tinted leaves. They are flat and toothed like an oak leaf with an overall dark green colour and deep red veins. Red Russian kale offers a mild nutty flavour that is slightly sweet and earthy with a hearty texture. No amount of cooking will soften the stems so it is best to use only the leaves.
Black Kale; blade-like shape, the leaves are narrower than most other varieties and have a thin tender stem. The chewy texture easily softens when cooked, and offers subtle green cabbage flavour that has a tangy bite with a sweet earthy finish. Often used as a salad green when young. The fully mature leaves are best when cooked, but require minimal cooking when compared to other kales. Try it steamed, braised, stewed, fried, sautéed, juiced and even baked like a chip.
Japanese Flowering; this delectable kale has dramatic ruffles, sublime flavour and dense nutrition. The bold fuchsia and cream-coloured leaves add a depth of sweetness and refinement, making it exceptionally gourmet. The culinary possibilities for such a vibrant and delectable vegetable are boundless. The plants are super frost hardy, and their colour and sweetness actually intensify as the weather gets colder! This is an antioxidant-rich plant that will dazzle in the garden and delight on the dinner plate.
Pairs well with
Fruit & Vegetables; potatoes, shallots, onion, tomato, sweet potatoes, garlic, chilies,
Meat & Dairy; Smoked meats, cream, parmesan, roasted meats, cheddar cheese, chorizo sausage, pancetta, sausage and chicken
Others; bay leaf, oregano, thyme, caraway, red pepper flake, nutmeg, beans, barley, sesame, soy sauce and ginger.
Recipes;
