The I Hate Kale Cookbook: 35 Recipes to Change Your Mind
By Tucker Shaw
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About this ebook
There are a lot of reasons to hate kale. It’s an upstart. It’s painfully hip. It’s healthy—almost too healthy. Kale will never be bacon.
But if you can get past the hate, you’ll discover even more reasons to love it. Kale isn’t just good for you, it’s also cheap (if you know where to look), versatile (if you know what you’re doing), and downright delicious (when you have the right recipes, like the ones included here).
The I Hate Kale Cookbook teaches you everything you need to know about the infamous green, from where to buy it and how to care for it to handy tips on getting the most out of every bunch. And with thirty-five delectable recipes—from salads and breakfast smoothies to main dishes, side dishes, and party snacks (that’s right, party snacks)—you won’t be able to stay a kale hater for long.
Tucker Shaw
Tucker Shaw is a writer and editor who first found his family in New York City's East Village in 1991 when he was twenty-three. Over the decades he's worked in magazines, newspapers, and advertising, When You Call My Name is his first novel for Henry Holt Books for Young Readers.
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The I Hate Kale Cookbook - Tucker Shaw
It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: No matter what variety you’re after, the best kale is the kale you find at a local farmers market, or, even better, in your own garden. You’re probably more likely to find different varieties of kale this way, too.
However, you won’t have any trouble finding kale at the supermarket, and all the recipes in this book are optimized for supermarket kale. I won’t send you out looking for some obscure variety of Azerbaijani kale that can only be found at a souk. Kale is happiest when it’s not too hot, and it likes a spritz of moisture every now and then, so look for kale that’s under one of those misters at the store. Also, the more kale the store sells, the more likely it is fresh, so find a store with a high produce turnover.
If you can find organic kale, buy it. If it’s organic, it won’t have been treated with pesticides. If you can’t find organic kale, don’t sweat it too much, just make sure you wash it extra carefully (see this page).
Kale doesn’t freeze as well as some other vegetables, like spinach, so skip the frozen kale in favor of fresh (except in smoothies; see this page).
There are literally dozens of kinds of edible kale, but most of them only grow in remote villages in inaccessible mountain valleys. For all intents and purposes, there are two kinds of kale that are widely available in supermarkets:
Curly kale (also usually just called kale)
Curly kale is the most widely available and most versatile variety of kale. It’s sold in big bunches of big leaves with thick stems and broad but very curly leaves. Deep green colors are best, maybe with flecks of purple or black. Pale-colored kale with streaks and small bits of yellow are still fine for some dishes (like soups and braises), but, in general, it won’t have as much flavor or oomph. If it’s mostly yellow or brownish, walk away.
Curly kale has a distinct if relatively mild flavor. It doesn’t provide as much sharpness as mustard greens or as much meatiness as collards; instead, you’ll find an inherent nutty, woodsy, savory flavor. For lack of a better word, it also tastes healthy: vegetal, minerally, and rich.
In general, bigger (i.e., older) leaves will have a bit more bitterness in flavor. Some people like this, some people don’t. If you’re a bitter-lover (like me), pick the most richly colored leaves and don’t shy away from the big ones. If you prefer a milder flavor and a more tender chew, look for smaller, younger, less curly leaves.
Make sure the leaves have some heft and feel supple. If you encounter wilty, soft, or slimy leaves, or if you find stalks that are especially dried out or shredded at the bottom, bail.
Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale)
Lacinato kale leaves are much darker than curly kale, and the leaves are more oblong and regularly shaped, with fewer curls and ridges. The long, green-black, shiny leaves are puckered and wrinkled, with a distinct center stem, usually a much lighter green, right down the center. As with curly kale, the larger Lacinato leaves have a more aggressive flavor and sturdier structure than the smaller ones.
Lacinato kale, which has a nuttier, more complex flavor than curly kale, tends to be more expensive. Part of this is because it’s usually sold in more-expensive shops, but also because it’s considered fancier. The deep green leaves take on a jewel-like luster when cooked, making them popular in snazzy restaurants. Their price reflects the high-end demand for them. You’re also likely to find Lacinato kale in smaller bunches than curly kale—while the bunches may have the same number of stalks, Lacinato’s flatter profile just makes the bunches look smaller.