National Kale Day 2024

[friedgreen51]

I haven't grown kale in a few years because the last few times I grew it, the plants became covered with white flies and had to be pulled before I really got a chance to eat much of it. They also get harlequin bugs if I leave them in the ground too long in spring. I keep meaning to try again with some row cover to keep out the bugs, but it hasn't happened yet.

Mostly I just tear up some kale in salads or in soups. I like it in a no-recipe potato vegetable soup I make that's basically just bacon or side meat, onion, potato, chicken broth, corn, string beans, lima beans, cabbage or kale, zucchini/summer squash, whatever is on hand. Seasoned with poultry seasoning, salt & pepper. No milk/cream. Saute pork & onion, add potatoes & broth and cook awhile until the potatoes are beginning to soften, then add other veggies and simmer a good while until everything is tender.

I also like this old Moosewood Cookbook recipe for "Caribbean Stew" (note that the current version of this dish on the internet is not the same):

Caribbean Stew
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp veg oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 minced fresh chili (seeds removed)
1 large sweet potato, chunked (about 2 cups)
2 cups water or veggie stock
2 small zucchini, cut into medium chunks (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups undrained canned tomatoes, chopped/diced
4 cups loosely packed shredded kale (I use 2 cups at most, maybe less)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice (I use lime)
2-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste

Sprinkle onions with salt. In a covered soup pot, sauté the onions in the oil for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add thyme, allspice, and chili and continue to cook for another 1-2 mins. Add sweet potatoes and water/stock and simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes with juice and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until veggies are just tender. Add kale and cook another 5-10 mins. Add lemon or lime juice, cilantro, & salt to taste.

This sounds like a good recipe!

[Tormahto]

I haven't grown kale in a few years because the last few times I grew it, the plants became covered with white flies and had to be pulled before I really got a chance to eat much of it. They also get harlequin bugs if I leave them in the ground too long in spring. I keep meaning to try again with some row cover to keep out the bugs, but it hasn't happened yet.

Mostly I just tear up some kale in salads or in soups. I like it in a no-recipe potato vegetable soup I make that's basically just bacon or side meat, onion, potato, chicken broth, corn, string beans, lima beans, cabbage or kale, zucchini/summer squash, whatever is on hand. Seasoned with poultry seasoning, salt & pepper. No milk/cream. Saute pork & onion, add potatoes & broth and cook awhile until the potatoes are beginning to soften, then add other veggies and simmer a good while until everything is tender.

I also like this old Moosewood Cookbook recipe for "Caribbean Stew" (note that the current version of this dish on the internet is not the same):

Caribbean Stew
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp veg oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 minced fresh chili (seeds removed)
1 large sweet potato, chunked (about 2 cups)
2 cups water or veggie stock
2 small zucchini, cut into medium chunks (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 cups undrained canned tomatoes, chopped/diced
4 cups loosely packed shredded kale (I use 2 cups at most, maybe less)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice (I use lime)
2-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste

Sprinkle onions with salt. In a covered soup pot, sauté the onions in the oil for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add thyme, allspice, and chili and continue to cook for another 1-2 mins. Add sweet potatoes and water/stock and simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Add zucchini and tomatoes with juice and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until veggies are just tender. Add kale and cook another 5-10 mins. Add lemon or lime juice, cilantro, & salt to taste.

Somewhere around here, I have a copy of the Moosewood Cookbook, not the 1st edition. I use recipes as a basis for cooking, but modify all of them somewhat. If I find that book, I'll likely find my missing varieties of wax pole beans and winter squash.