Cooking with Kath

Margie is home from the cottage.  I bet you thought you would be hearing more from her. I did too.  I got home last night and Barry had left a note on my computer - "Margie called, do Love Thursday".  So, I did Love Thursday as instructed.  It's the "got your back" thing.  But dontcha love how she worries about us, that we wouldn't have had a post?

Well, she is battling with Ma Bell, her internet service is not working.  She is very frustrated. I laughed at the thought that their dial up at the cottage is now infinitely better than their high-speed (no speed at all) home service.

Because of school Tuesday night (which by the way, was my second last class and the final exam is next week and I thought it was the week after and yikes, yes, I'm studying!) I didn't get to deal with my farm to table box until Wednesday night.   New potatoes, curly leaf kale, a wonderful green called mizuna, radishes, green onions, baby beets and an array of lettuces graced the counter last night.   So, what to do?   

Have you heard that saying, "Things that grow together go together."?   I had and sure enough when I went looking for Kale recipes I found a recipe for Kale & Potato soup, oh that works, I have Kale and potatoes (I don't know why I capitalize Kale, but I do)  I found the recipe in my kitchen boyfriend's cookbook (my kitchen boyfriend is Mark Bittman, I love his How to Cook Everything book).  I'm even friends with him on Facebook ...

I think it's okay if I give you the recipe, he didn't say so, he doesn't really know me, but I'm sure he won't mind. 

1 large baking potato, cut into eighths

5 c. stock

1 clove garlic lightly smashed

3 c. roughly chopped kale leaves stripped from the stalks

1 tsp fresh marjoram or oregano leaves

1 bay leaf

s&p

potato, garlic, 2 c  stock in a medium saucepan and cook at medium high until potato is soft - let cool slightly

at the same time cook the Kale in the remaining stock with the herbs & bay leaf until tender, about 10 mins and then remove the bay leaf

puree the potato mixture and stir in with the kale, season with s&p and heat through.

Okay, so this is not how I did it, I used a few of the wee potatoes, less stock and less Kale - I sauteed the onions & garlic in butter first and I didn't use a bayleaf.  I cooked it all together because it was enough with the pots already and I pureed the whole thing. It has an olive green colour, like a pea soup and I'm sure would be more beautiful if you did it HIS way, but oh man, it sure is tasty!

Now, on to the chard.  You must, please, you have to make this recipe.  Just make sure you wash the chard more than you think you need to, mine was a bit, ahem, gritty shall we say?

 

I found the recipe at Beyond Salmon.

Serves 2 as a side dish
(it will seem like a ton of swiss chard, but it shrinks a lot during cooking)

1 Lb swiss chard (1 bunch)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Wash chard leaves in several changes of cold water.

Pull the stems out of each leaf and cut stems into 1/2 inch chunks. Dry the leaves on paper towels or spin in a salad spinner.

Put the stems in a 2 inch deep baking dish that is large enough to accommodate all the chard leaves later (I use an 8 by 8 pyrex). Drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. Roast in the middle of the oven until the stems are tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Pile the leaves on top of the stems. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil. Toss with tongs and return to the oven. Roast until the greens wilt, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cream, taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle with parmesan and return to the oven until cream is bubbly and parmesan is melted.

(the pine nuts are my addition to the recipe)

to die for.

seriously.

now go, go, support a local farmer and eat your veg!

xo 

Kath

Comments

[Gayle]

Oh, I love swiss chard! I think it is my favorite leafy green. One year we grew so much in our garden. It was wonderful! I've never been able to grow it as well at the house we live in now. This year I gave up on trying, but I sure do miss it. I need to go find a farmers market!

[Michelle Johnson]

The kale and potato soup sounds delicious. I must try it sometime. If I do I'll drop you a line to let you know what I thought. Hope all is well. Good night~

[Wanda]

I'm too shy to ask celebrities to be my friend on Facebook.

[Se'Lah]

Both recipes sounds so yummy...always looking for something new that a vegetarian can eat.