I have known for a while now that kale is a great vegetable but having eaten it mostly in chip form I wanted to try it with other mixed greens alongside my dinner last week. I washed the kale, put it in a big salad bowl, topped it with vinaigrette, I took a big bite and ….meh. Decent, but not great - a little too bitter for my liking!
When I told a friend about my failed attempt at kale salad she told me I had to massage the kale. Come again? I wasn’t aware my greens needed a back rub, what’s next? Acupuncture, guided meditation? I’m sure it is stressful to be second choice to spinach - I mean you didn’t hear Popeye marketing the greatness of kale, did you? My friend laughed at my puzzled face and said, yes, ‘massage’ the kale with a mixture of garlic, olive oil and lemon, let that sit awhile and then make your salad. I followed her advice and the kale did taste less bitter than before, but I still wasn’t sure it was something I’d do again. Since I had lots of leftover kale that I didn’t want to waste, I tried another method- sautéing it. I followed this recipe from Eating Well and actually really enjoyed it prepared that way. I love adding some spice to my dishes!
If you have some kale on hand try both methods and let me know what you liked better. If you already have a favorite kale recipe, please share!