North Country Reflections

Kale is a most excellent garden crop for places…like Vermont…where we have cool summers and a short growing season. Kale matures in about 55 days from the time when seedlings are put in the ground, it does not require copious heat to grow well, and it is relatively pest free.
And, best of all, kale is extremely good for you.

…and after the snow receded the kale was still smiling!

The flavor of kale actually improves after a frost, and the plants will keep on smiling even after being inundated by snow. So, providing you do not anticipate nighttime temperatures dipping below about 20°F, you can leave your kale in the garden to ‘cut and come again’ as you need.

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Kale is versatile in the kitchen…

…and it freezes well too.

After washing the leaves, removing the stems and chopping it coarsely, I like to blanch a good amount of kale at one time.  Put it in a sealed container, and it will last for several days in the fridge, and any excess stores well the freezer.
In addition to making a whole dish out of the kale (see below) I will pop a smaller amount into soups and stews a few minutes before serving, and I like to add it to gratins and pasta dishes.

Braised mushrooms and kale

Here is a favorite way to prepare kale for two people…with many thanks to Martha Rose Shulman for the genesis of this recipe.

• 1 tablespoon oil (canola and/or olive)
• 1/4 onion finely chopped
• 3-4 ounces of mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
• Optionally: 1 apple, peeled and cored
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 leaves of fresh sage, chopped
• 3- 4 ounces of blanched kale
• 1 0unce of sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
• 1 ounce of raisins
• Optionally: 1 ounce of walnuts, chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 ounces of feta or goat cheese, crumbled

Red Russian kale in late November

In a medium-sized frying-pan, saute the onion until translucent. Add the mushrooms and apple. Continue cooking, stirring from time to time, over a medium heat until the mushrooms start to brown and the apple is soft.

Add the garlic and sage, raisins and nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Stir over a low heat until fragrant. Add the white wine and simmer until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Add the kale (and a small amount of water if needed)  and let everything cook gently for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the goat cheese. Serve over pasta or polenta and sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese.

Varieties of kale

Lacinato kale in my garden in November

Over the years I have grown three basic types of kale: curly, lacinato and Red Russian, a smooth variety with big leaves. The first two are common in the markets, but the red Russian less so.  And since Dick is less fond of the curly kinds, for the past two years I have grown just the lacinato and Russian red types in the garden.

And of these two I find the Red Russian carries on later in the colder weather, and caterpillars seem to like it less.

And Russian kale is a good-looking plant in the garden too. I have seen it grown among flowers to great effect. So if you like the idea of mixing a few veggies among your flowers here is one to start you off.

If I had to limit myself to a single variety, it would definitely be the Red Russian. In the spring seedlings can often be found at local garden centers and farmer’s market. And, for the grow-it-yourself-from-scratch gardener, Johnny’s Seeds of Maine, carries seeds

‘EAT MORE KALE’ and Bo Muller-Moore

Just as I had finished writing this post i heard about Bo Muller-Moore who lives in Montpelier, Vermont. From his home he runs the ultimate small business, creating hand-silk-screened,  T-Shirts from organic cotton, which he sells through the Internet.  He is man after my own heart, since his signature design simply proclaims  EAT MORE KALE.

But.unbelievable as it may sound, Bo is currently being hounded by a big bully of a company from Atlanta that sells fast-food chicken and claims that he is infringing on their copyrighted phrase of Eat Mor Chikin. However, like many other people, I fail to see any connection between fast-food chicken and wholesome kale. And now even Governor Shumlin has come to his defense, in a move which has been heard around the world.

Check it out Bo’s website and maybe you will feel moved to support him by buying some of his T-shirts as a gift for your ‘favorite somebody’ this season.