Kale

I will post additional recipes under this heading for kale as the season goes on, so check back anytime it finds its way into your bag.

Honey-Curried Kale
Ingredients:
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ bunch kale
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup water

Preparation:
Cut away kale stems and chop leaves into large pieces. Sauté onion in oil over medium heat until dark brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes. Stir in curry powder, honey, and lemon juice. Add kale, soy sauce, and water. Cook for 5 minutes, tossing until kale is chewy but tender.
Makes 6 servings.
(Recipe adapted from Farm-Fresh Recipes by Janet Majure.)


Kale, Mushroom, and Cheddar Bake
 Homemade with Love: Simple Scratch Cooking from In Jennie’s Kitchen,
    1 Tbsp olive oil
    1 bunch (7 oz or 200 g) lacinato kale (dinosaur or Tuscan kale), center ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced  or any braising green
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    5 ounces (140 g) of cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
    1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
    1/2 loaf (185 grams) ciabatta bread, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
    3 large eggs
    1 1/2 cups (375 ml) milk
    4 ounces (112 g) grated cheddar cheese
1 Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with a little olive oil and set aside.
2 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the thinly sliced kale and cook until just wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes.
 Add the onions and mushrooms, and add salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms have released their moisture and the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
4 In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs.
5 Line the bottom of the casserole pan with one third of the thinly sliced bread. Spread one half of the kale mushroom onion mixture over the bread.  Sprinkle one third of the cheddar cheese over the top. Lay down the second third of the bread slices. Top again with the remaining kale mixture, and then with a third of the cheese.  Lay the remaining slices of bread over the top.
6 Pour the milk egg mixture over the bread, pressing down with a spatula so that the milk is absorbed by the casserole layers. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar cheese. (At this point you can chill overnight for making ahead, or continue.)
7 Let the casserole sit for about 15 minutes to further absorb the milk while you preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).  Cover with foil. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving.
Yield: Serves 6.