26 August 2016

Kale with chickpeas

I know I'm kind of repeating myself, but this is what I have to blog about right now — greens. I've posted similar recipes before. By the way, the pain in my shoulder is less severe now, thanks to paracetamol (called Tylenol in the U.S.) and ibuprofen, and maybe the antiviral medication too. I'm optimistic.


Yesterday morning, after my walk with the dog and while the temperature was relatively cool, I went out to the garden and cut enough kale leaves to fill a big laundry basket. It took me all of ten minutes. I'm so happy I discovered Red Russian Kale — the kale leaves are much like very tender collard greens.

I washed them, which was easy, because since it hasn't rained in... forever, the leaves were clean — hardly any dirt or sand, and no insects, snails, slugs, or caterpillars. I wash them with the shower attachment in the bathtub, which we never use for any thing but watering houseplants or washing greens, and then again in the kitchen once they are prepared for cooking.

Then I removed the thick red rib that runs down the middle of the Red Russian Kale leaves. You can see it in the photos above and to the left. It's pretty easy. The green part of the leaf is delicate enough that all you have to do is grab the bottom of the rib and pull the leaves through the thumb and index finger on your other hand. Discard the ribs.

Then I roughly chopped and weighed the de-ribbed leaves — I had 500 grams (just over a pound) of them. I sliced some shallots (onion would do) and garlic and started sauteeing them in olive oil in a big pot. I added about a tablespoon of cumin, the same amount of sweet paprika, along with a teaspoon each of black pepper, salt, and hot red pepper. Vary the seasoning to your taste.

The next step is to toss the greens into the pot and let them start to wilt and cook down. Add a little bit of water and/or white wine, as well as a cup or less of tomato sauce, and keep the greens just slightly wet as they cook.

At the end of the cooking time, the amount of which depends on how young and tender your raw greens were — taste them to see if they are tender to your taste — toss in a small can of cooked chickpeas (about half a pound) and a handful of toasted breadcrumbs. A splash of vinegar is also a good thing to add.

The breadcrumbs will absorb any cooking liquid left in the pot. Add a little more water if you think the mixture is too dry. This kind of dish would be just as good with red kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, black beans, or pinto beans... for example.

You can also make such a dish using spinach or chard, which will require less cooking time, or with collard greens, which will need longer cooking. The tomato sauce and white wine will add sweetness, and the spices will perk everything up. The greens will be delicious, and beans are always good for you — as are greens.










Somebody who doesn't usually like greens might enjoy this spicy version. It can be served as a main course or as a side dish.

14 comments:

  1. Glad to know the pain is easing, but don't overdo it.

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  2. Agree with 'chm'.... Rest easy!!
    We eat all but the ends of the ribs, they are really quite tender!!

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    1. De-ribbing is always optional, from my point of view. If you cook the greens with the leaf ribs long enough, it will all be tender.

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    2. We cook them for about 5 to 10 minutes... or steam for twenty.
      But, on Red Russian, that first inch to inch-and-a-half is always as hard as old oak!!

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  3. So glad you are getting relief ! I have not eaten meat in over 40 years, but I do love my veggies :) I think sauteeing just about anything in garlic and oil makes it fabulous ... I do this with spinach, what is the difference (taste) in kale and spinach ? I don't think I have ever had kale although I do know what it is :)

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    1. I don't know if you eat or have ever eaten collard greens, but kale is more tender and cooks faster. It "meatier" and tastes really different, with a different "mouth feel" from spinach, which I also really like -- especially with eggs and with cream.

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    2. I tried collard greens as a child, living in NC ... when my grandfather had this massive garden.
      But now , all grown with no one to tell me to eat my vegetables, I love spinach and green leafy veggies but I have not tried collard greens .. I will look for the in the market this weekend :) They have great farmers markets in this part of Florida.

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    3. Collards are a winter and early spring vegetable in
      coastal N.C. Children don't often like them, as far as I know. I guess they are an acquired taste.

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  4. I don't think I've ever had kale cooked this way- it is quite healthy. I hope your shingles go away asap.

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    1. I'm feeling much better today. Maybe in part because the weather is slightly cooler.

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  5. Replies
    1. It's only about 85 degrees in the house today, instead of 90+ over the last 3 or 4 days. That helps. By Monday we are supposed to be back in the 70s.

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  6. Glad you are feeling better, Ken. Kale will help!

    I agree with you that there are varieties of kale that are easier and tastier than regular kale. Have you grown rainbow kale?

    Kale became such a big deal in the US that chopped-up kale is sold in large bags in the supermarkets. And somehow in my lifetime spinach went from being unappreciated to being the biggest-selling vegetable.

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    1. When all is said and done, I still have a preference for collards, when they are properly cooked. I haven't heard of rainbow kale, but we have tried to grow rainbow chard, with limited success. I don't think we ever had spinach when I was growing up, just collard and turnip greens. I learned to like spinach in France, back in the 1970s. I like épinards à la crème aux oeufs durs as a simple meal.

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