Call me old fashioned if you must. I prefer highwaisted pants, my ideal bedtime is 9pm, I still have a flip-phone and I love boiled greens. Of course, it took a while for my tastes in sensibility to come to fruition. Over time I've found that the higher waistline is more comfortable and flattering to my figure, I have a far sweeter disposition and greater ability for patience when I get 8 hours of sleep, don't get me started on iPhones and, well, sometimes I don't like to chew.
That last bit was only sort of a joke. Like how I occasionally eat popcorn with chopsticks to keep my clean hands clean -- sometimes my jaw doesn't want to cooperate with my stomach's requests and I am left with only the ability to swallow. And I can only eat so much applesauce or tapioca.
The first recipe I ever cooked from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook is the one I'm sharing with you - Boiled Kale. Judy Rogers, with her exactness and beautiful articulation, nails it with this recipe. The cooking method elevates the sweetness of the kale and makes the greens into satin. She encourages you to rub a piece of toast with garlic, top it with these greens and a poached egg and while I heartily agree, there's a soothing simplicity to the kale served on its own (and with minimal chewing).
Boiled Kale (on Garlic Rubbed Toast)
from Judy Rogers
My favorite green to use is Lacinato kale. These greens are soothing and substantial on their own, without any toast - so feel free. If you're using an egg, have it poached prior to dressing the toast with the greens as it will get soggy as it sits.
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1 bunch kale, chopped into mouth-sized pieces (stem and all)
6 c water (or homemade chicken stock - don't bother with the canned kind)
2 t salt (or to taste)
chili flakes for garnish
garlic rubbed toast (optional)
a poached egg (optional)
a poached egg (optional)
Process
Heat a deep saucepan or dutchoven over a medium flame, add the oil and then the onions when the oil is hot. Add a pinch of salt and saute until the onions are translucent and becoming sweet, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and kale and saute for two minutes more, until the kale begins to wilt.
Adjust the heat to high and add the water or stock to bring to a boil. Reduce the flame to maintain a hearty simmer and do some stretches, drink some tea or take a snooze. Return to the stove in 30 minutes to check how tender the kale has become. The leaves should be like satin and the stems should be tender to bite.
Add the salt, let simmer another few minutes, and taste the kale - the salt should lift the sweetness without adding any bitter notes. Add the chili flakes, if desired.
Rub a piece of toast with a halved piece of garlic, spoon the greens and some of liquid on top of it. Add a poached egg, if you're in the mood or just enjoy it as it is.
Yields: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutesPhotography by Amy Pennington/Styling by Me
