All Hail Kale

We attended a potluck/fundraiser last weekend. This wasn't specifically a vegetarian potluck, so I went prepared to not be able to eat very much. I fixed a huge platter of Pesto Pasta Primavera and knew that I could, at least, eat a bit of that, although frankly, I rarely like to eat my own cooking.

Shhhh---don't tell anyone! It's a common chef syndrome, not eating your own food. It's partly because we've lived and breathed the ingredients and preparation all day, and partly because, quite frankly, it's always nicer to eat a meal prepared by someone else, rather than yourself. Thankfully, on the days I can't face my own food because I'm bleary eyed from cooking 24/7, Robert enjoys cooking for me. He's also good at it, so I am blessed.

Anyway, back to the potluck...I was actually able to eat pretty well. There was hummus, a corn dish, a frittata and between them and a small portion of my pasta, I fared quite well. One guest arrived late, when we were already fairly satiated. I watched as she placed her potluck contribution on the buffet table and removed the foil. She announced, "This is organic kale I grew in my garden". I couldn't resist, so I quickly grabbed another plate and served myself a helping of her beautiful, home grown, emerald green kale.

I took one bite of it and immediately had to ask how she prepared it - it was that good! Her preparation could not have been more simplistic, nor the result more delicious. She told me she had lightly steamed it then tossed it with toasted sesame oil and sprinkled it with sesame seeds. It was fresh, it was flavorful, it was fantastic!

Since the potluck, I've put my own spin on her dish. I made Jasmine Fried Rice one night this week with green onions, asparagus, baby bella mushrooms, and diced tofu. I wanted something "clean tasting" to accompany it, and the sesame kale was the perfect fit. I washed the kale in a sink of cold water, removed the thick stems and cut the leaves into a chiffonade. I steamed the greens over boiling water until barely tender. In the meantime, I thinly sliced three cloves of garlic and sauteed them very slowly over a low heat in a small amount of roasted sesame oil in a saute pan. When the garlic was nicely carmelized, I removed the pan from the heat and added regular and black sesame seeds to the warmed oil. They soon began to pop, releasing their essence. I timed the steaming of the greens to finish at the same time the seeds finished popping. I drizzled the flavored oil over the greens, tossed everything lightly to coat and served it alongside the Jasmine Fried Rice.

Kale might not be a comman ingredient in your kitchen. This quick and simple way to prepare it makes it easy to work it into your diet. Why not try a helping of sesame kale over a bowl of your favorite rice? For added protein, top with tofu lightly sprinkled with Five Spice Powder and pan fry in a dry skillet until crisp and golden.

Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, calcium, vitamin B6 and potassium.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Kale.