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Original poster

Kale - What to do with it.

26 replies

Clutterbugsmum · 16/08/2015 18:11

My lovely sister has just given me 10 tonne a carrier bag of it.

Other then boiling it, what can I do with it.

Can I blanche and freeze it.

TIA

OP posts:
AspieAndNT · 16/08/2015 18:21

Curly kale? if so - rip it up into small bits getting rid of any thick stalk bits. Spray a baking sheet with fry-light. Lay in a single layer and spray again. Sprinkle salt and sweetener over it and cook it in a hot oven - 200c for 2 minutes and check it.

It should be crispy like Chinese seaweed. If not keep checking at one min intervals as it isn't nice when burnt!!

mysteryfairy · 16/08/2015 18:25

Blend it into smoothies? That's what I primarily do with it. There's a Hugh fernly whittingstall kale lasagne but I couldn't give it away when I made it

GrizzlebertGrumbledink · 16/08/2015 18:28

I make crisps with it too, but dry it out in a lower heat for longer and chuck a bit of Rosemary on - delicious!

Otherwise stir fried with a squeeze of lemon juice

GooodMythicalMorning · 16/08/2015 18:30

I wondered this too as I only buy it for the rabbits but wondered what people did with it normally.

Elledouble · 16/08/2015 18:33

Sautée with garlic and chilli as a side dish
Use it in anything you'd have spinach in, like stir fry and curry.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Veg book has a recipe for pasta with greens and chilli. We have it all the time.

Gatekeeper · 16/08/2015 18:39

shred it and bung in soups
steam it and serve as you would cabbage
lightly steam and stuff with rice, bacon bits, etc and steam a bit more
bung n smoothies
bung in stir fries
lightly fry with ginger , garlic etc
rub with oil and cook for three mins in the microwave for crisps, alos nice with some peanut butter rubbed in as well

meglet · 16/08/2015 18:45

I stir it into pasta sauces and frittatas.

MyFriendsCallMeOh · 16/08/2015 18:48

Juice it with apples, celery, lemon and ginger.

ToddleWaddle · 16/08/2015 18:50

Quite nice in pesto with cashew nuts instead of pine nuts.

rainingfrogs · 16/08/2015 18:50

roasted with chilli is gorgeous

make a stew with kale, chorizo and butter beans

more tender leaves can go in salads

loadsa stuff

Shallishanti · 16/08/2015 18:54

Jack Monroe's kale pesto is great, thanks for the prompt!

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 16/08/2015 19:02

Compost heap.

BornToFolk · 16/08/2015 19:38

I was going to say kale pesto too, it's delicious and freezes really well. Kale crisps are awesome too, so easy to make.

villainousbroodmare · 16/08/2015 19:40

Feed it to sheep or vegans.

Ridingthegravytrain · 16/08/2015 19:40

Yy to the roast seaweed thing. But it is rank when burnt!

Capewrath · 16/08/2015 21:32

Fabby as a bruschetta variant.

Boil it till tender having removed tough stalks, in meantime sauté onions,garlic chilli. Drain kale and add to mixture. Put on toasted brioche/ Italian bread.

Can also add mushroom to this.

CrumbsThatsQuick · 16/08/2015 21:34

Butterbean and kale mash.

thehomesecretary · 16/08/2015 21:37

Make a salad. As long as you dress it with olive oil or another dressing and leave it to marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge, it will soften and is really yummy.
I had one today with chickpeas, avocado, peppers and a tahini dressing.

cdtaylornats · 16/08/2015 21:38

Its a good vegetable for slow cooker dishes, 6 to 8 hours in a slow cooker and its nearly edible. Its also good for adding texture to soup.

applecatchers36 · 16/08/2015 21:44

Make a white risotto & in last 5 mins add the Kale.

Adapted this from the mumsnet lettuce risotto recipe doesn't sound as good as it tastes.

Crosbybeach · 17/08/2015 15:33

You can freeze it, I've done that without blanching it, so I just chucked in freezer bag chopped up and then used it straight from freezer into soups and things. A bit like spinach really...but longer cooking.

Original poster
Clutterbugsmum · 17/08/2015 16:22

Thank you for your replies.

I'm glad you can freeze it. As I have a feeling she will turn up next week with another bag full, Along with a load more marrows courgette's, beet roots and beans, plus anything else that grows this week.

I also have a bag of green beans and purple beans to freeze and a tonne of rhubarb.

OP posts:
Crosbybeach · 17/08/2015 16:36

If I'm not planning to keep things for ages in the freezer, I rarely bother with blanching. It seems to mostly work out OK. I have an allotment, there's lots of things to freeze!

thenumberseven · 18/08/2015 20:19

Saute kale in a little oil with garlic and pancetta or bacon. You can add a sprinkling of smoked paprika and ground cumin but optional. Lower heat and cover to cook until tender.
Make up your favourite tomato sauce or use a bought one.
Make mashed potato.

Place cooked kale on bottom of baking dish, spread tomato sauce on top and cover with mashed potato. Score mash with a fork and dot top with tiny bits of butter. Put under hot grill until golden.
You can make ahead without grilling in which case you would heat through in oven before grilling until golden.

Bacon may be substituted by chopped chorizo. This recipe is from northern Spain made with cabbage but works with kale.
Very filling and quite hearty, more of a cold weather dish