Cooking with Tammy Kelly: A kale you will love

For all of you Kale haters out there, thanks to one of our local farmers, I have found your answer to adding Kale to your diet. It’s Lacinato or Dinosaur kale is a dark green leafy vegetable. Dino Kale has an earthy, nutty flavor. It doesn't have the same strong bitterness as other varieties of kale, though it is still there. The sweetness helps offset that and makes it more approachable.

The leaves of the Dino Kale are so hearty that, even when well-cooked, they retain a wonderful firm texture, making it a great choice for braising or adding to stews. 

Not only is it sweeter and less bitter than your normal Kale, it contains the same nutritional punch! It's an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K—over 50 percent of recommended daily allowances for each. It also provides good amounts of B vitamins, calcium, copper, fiber, iron, manganese, vitamin E, and is rich in antioxidants.

Italian doctors often recommend this variety of kale for weight loss. It is a filling food but very low in calories and has no fat. 

Give it a try and feel free to let me know what you think!!

Lacinato Kale Pasta with Parmesan 

1/2 pound shell or elbow pasta

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup panko Italian style breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed juice

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 bunch lacinato kale, stems trimmed and rough chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente. Reserve pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat a wide, deep skillet (big enough to hold the cooked pasta as well) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, and when butter has melted and has a nutty fragrance, add breadcrumbs. Toast until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove breadcrumbs to a small bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt remaining butter. Add kale, plus a pinch each sea salt and pepper, and sauté until kale is wilted and supple, about 5 minutes. Fold in lemon zest and juice, cooked pasta, and Parmesan. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water as needed to thin consistency. Top with toasted panko Italian style breadcrumbs, finish with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a pinch of pepper, and serve.  Serves 4. 

Ribollita, A Classic Tuscan Winter Soup

(Adapted from The Spruce Eats recipe)

1 pound dried white beans  (cannellini or Navy beans, washed and soaked for 3 hours)

1 small onion (peeled and chopped)

1 small carrot (peeled and chopped)

1 6-inch stalk celery (chopped)

1 small bunch parsley (flat-leaf, chopped)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste   

1 pound Dino kale, ribs removed and leaves chopped)

1 pound Swiss chard, ribs removed and leaves chopped)

1/2 pound potatoes (peeled and diced)

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1 sprig of fresh thyme

1/2 loaf white bread (thinly sliced, day-old crusty Italian)

Boil the beans in water to cover by about 2 inches (4 cm), adding more boiling water if need be to keep them submerged, and lightly salting them when they're almost done.

At this point, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and parsley in the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot.  When the onion has become translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes, add the tomato paste and the cooking liquid from the beans

Add the kale, beet greens or chard, and potatoes.  Stir in the cooked beans and season to taste with salt, pepper, and a sprig of thyme. 

Simmer until the potatoes are tender and can be pierced easily with the tines of a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the thyme and discard. Take a serving dish that can be heated and fill it with alternating layers of thinly sliced bread and soup, making sure the bread is damp - until the soup is used up. Serve and enjoy!