This week we got heads of lettuce, mixed salad greens, spinach, kale, swiss chard, mixed asian greens, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, kohlrabi, pac choy, tatsoi, arugula, dill, parsley, basil, and a small sample of snow peas (more of those to come next week). Phebe brought in some delicious kale chips, which were a big hit with everyone. Even the kids couldn’t get enough of them! It was great to see five year olds happily eating handfuls of kale and asking for more. Who knew? Click for the full recipe…
Try these fascinating, sophisticated “chips” for snacking or for sprinkling on just about any savory dish. Baking kale is an interesting process. First, the leaves become bright green and soften, then they begin to turn crisp. In between, they go through a chewy-crisp stage, which is also delicious, so the baking time is flexible. Just keep checking the kale until it’s done the way you like it.
KALE CHIPS
a little olive oil or oil spray for the baking tray
1 giant bunch fresh kale, stemmed and minced (about 1 lb)
1 teaspoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a large baking tray with foil or parchment paper. Mix the vinegar, oil, and salt in a large bowl. Add the kale, mixing it well with your hands. Spread the kale out as much as possible on the baking tray. Bake for 10-20 minutes, mixing it up once or twice during that time. (The kale will continue to shrink and crispen the longer it bakes. If you watch it closely and stir it enough, you can get it quite crisp without burning it.) Remove the tray from the oven, and let it cool on the tray. Kale Crunch will keep for a week in covered container – no refrigeration necessary.
