Kale Question

[cjzimmer1]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about what to do with Kale. Having never eaten it I was intrigued and went to buy some today. They only had chopped up pieces in bags like the salad mixes come in. I was envisioning it being like a head of romaine lettuce not all chopped up like this. For those of you who cook kale is this how you buy it? Or should I try another store for full leaves/head of it? This is the biggest grocery store we have so I was surprised that this was all they carried.

 

Thanks

[Spy Car]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about what to do with Kale. Having never eaten it I was intrigued and went to buy some today. They only had chopped up pieces in bags like the salad mixes come in. I was envisioning it being like a head of romaine lettuce not all chopped up like this. For those of you who cook kale is this how you buy it? Or should I try another store for full leaves/head of it? This is the biggest grocery store we have so I was surprised that this was all they carried.

 

Thanks

 

Generally it comes in bunches. And there are (potentially) many different varieties. I'm surprised it would only be in bags. I may be spoiled living in California.

 

bill

[Imprimis]

I've bought both the pre-chopped kale in bags and the full leaves--which I prefer.

 

I use kale quite a bit in soups. Here's an easy kale soup recipe: Saute onion and garlic in olive oil. Add vegetable broth, kale, and white beans such as cannellini or navy beans. You can also throw in carrots or whatever veggies you have on hand. Sometimes I add a small-shape pasta like elbow or ditalini. Chopped tomatoes are also good in this.

[Perry]

A few weeks ago there was a thread about what to do with Kale. Having never eaten it I was intrigued and went to buy some today. They only had chopped up pieces in bags like the salad mixes come in. I was envisioning it being like a head of romaine lettuce not all chopped up like this. For those of you who cook kale is this how you buy it? Or should I try another store for full leaves/head of it? This is the biggest grocery store we have so I was surprised that this was all they carried.

 

Thanks

Like this:

 

I just got some last week and ended up throwing it out, because it had black moldy spots all over it. Around here it's best early summer and later in the fall.

[Lakeside]

We don't buy it often from the store because we get so much from our CSA in the summer that we freeze a lot for winter, but when we do buy it it comes in a bunch with the leaves whole. (It isn't attached like a head of romaine lettuce would be, but it is usually bundled in a similar size bunch.)

 

I hope you enjoy it!

[LibraryLover]

Last summer, I had a couple of different kinds of kale in the garden. I was very thankful. I froze some (not enough), I cooked some. We all really enjoy kale, so I still do have to buy some. :glare: (We love elephant kale, and if you see that about, buy it. Its very light).

 

Where I live, you can buy kale in bunches or chopped in a bag. A few days ago, I picked up a bag of chopped organic kale at WF. I was thinking about soup (I love it in soup), but I found some Pacific Cod today, so I gently poached the cod with seasonings. My side was brown rice with carmelized onions, shredded carrots, a bit of garlic, and peas...but I was thinking it needed something more, so I tossed the chopped kale into the rice as I sauteed it, and added a little salt & pepper, and pinch more olive oil.

 

It's totally, complety gone. I was hoping it all might be breakfast as well.

Edited April 28, 2010 by LibraryLover

[monalisa]

I buy it in bunches from the regular grocery store. Look for crisp leaves (not limp). This is how I fix it: soak it in salt water (doesn't matter how much salt) a few times and rinse really well (it gets bugs on it, which is what the salt is for). I tear out the middle rib, then chop up the leaves coarsely. I saute a clove of garlic (pressed) in olive oil in a large skillet, then add in the chopped kale and stir fry very briefly (a couple minutes). I then add 1/2 or 1 cup of water (replenish if it cooks off) and cover with a lid. I cook it probably 15 or 20 minutes, or until the kale is tender. It takes a lot longer than spinach. We love it this way. It's also good in soups.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I threw mine into a pot of lentil soup today. Yumm! My kids went back for seconds.

[Denisemomof4]

Generally it comes in bunches. And there are (potentially) many different varieties. I'm surprised it would only be in bags. I may be spoiled living in California.

 

bill

 

well here in NH, the local HFS sells it in bunches like swiss chard, and there is green or purple. I like to sautee it in olive oil with garlic powder, and serve it drizzled with soy and toasted sesame oil. Mmmmmmmmm. My kids LOVE this served over brown rice, and sometimes that's an entire meal for us. My kids love it so much we need to buy 4 bunches just for one meal.

[stripe]

Generally it comes in bunches. And there are (potentially) many different varieties. I'm surprised it would only be in bags. I may be spoiled living in California.

 

My in-laws considered themselves spoiled when they were able to buy it pre-chiffonaded. Saved a lot of time! ;)

 

My local Chinese store (which is enormous) sells all its greens in preportioned bags. Which I find somewhat annoying as I have no use for the HUGE portions they sell; I'd like just a bit of it.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Here, it is bought loose and you pick and choose the leaves you want. There is generally only one kind and it is next to the collards.

 

I just go out to the garden and pick it. :-) We had some chopped and stirred into a rice dish, yesterday.

[angela in ohio]

Ours is bundled, uncut next to the mustanrd greens and such. I wish we could find it already cut; that sounds convenient. :D

[Orthodox6]

I never have seen kale in bags. Must be very expensive that way !

 

I cook with kale as I would any other green. Add to soups. Simmer with rice and garlic/onion/herbs. Kale (like chard) is super with sweet potatoes.

 

I would rinse it quickly, but would not soak-and-salt it. (Good-bye vitamins and hello extra sodium)

[cjzimmer1]

Well I'm glad to know I wasn't crazy expecting leaves/stalks of some sort. Not only was there not any there wasn't even slot for it. The only leafy vegetables they has were about 4 kinds of lettuce. But since someone said it's not really in season I will have to look again in a month or so when the fresh greens start showing up at the farmer's market.

 

I had seen the recipes for roasted kale and wanted to try that. I suppose the pieces would work as well but I wasn't sure.

 

Cost was $2.69 a 16 ounce bag (or maybe it was 12 ounce) so not much more than the bags of spring mix types of salad.

 

And Bill I'm pretty sure you are spoiled living in CA. It froze here last night. It will be quite some time before we have anything fresh or local unless it was grown in hoop houses and usually that stuff doesn't taste much better than the grocery store.

Edited April 28, 2010 by cjzimmer1