Cavolo Nero (Black Kale) Recipe
By
Ali LaRaia
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Four pounds of black kale (also known as Lacinato or dinosaur kale) may take up an entire shelf of your refrigerator when fresh, but wilted it becomes the perfect amount for a family gathering. Keeping the rest of the ingredients simple leaves cleaning the kale the only major task to tackle here.
This recipe was featured as part of our Christmas Day Feast, Italian Style menu.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 4 pounds black kale (about 6 to 7 bunches), tough stems removed and leaves cut into bite-size pieces
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat olive oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) and cook until vegetables have softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium high, add orange juice, and bring to a simmer. Add a few handfuls of kale and, as it wilts, continue to add a handful at a time, stirring constantly, until all the kale is in the pan, about 10 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until all the kale is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
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whole foods & farmers' markets.
"Black" kale is also called "dino" kale and "Tuscan" kale, and can be found at more places than you might expect, such as Safeway. Lacinato kale is the formal name.
where can I buy black kale in westchester besides Whole Paycheck?
Any place to get black kale in Los Angeles (besides Whole Paycheck? ;-) )
intrepid, I don;t know where you are in the metro area but De Cicco's in Pelham and Ardsley (Westchester) has it fairly often.
It's great for making crispy kale chips in the oven, sprayed with oil and sea salt and baked at 250 till crisp. You can also use sesame seeds. Watch carefully so the chips don't burn.
where in nyc metro area do they sell cavolo nero on a regular basis pls- i also use it in ribollita
Keep in mind that including fat in the recipe will allow you to absorb fat soluble vitamins that you otherwise will miss.
I make a super low fat variation of this a few times a week when my girlfriend and I can get kale from the local farmer's market. We forgo the olive oil and "saute" the onions and garlic in a mixture of water, Braggs liquid aminos, and apple cider vinegar. After the garlic and onions cook for a few minutes, chopped freshed tomatoes are added to the mix for some acidity and extra flavor. We're trying to get my parents to eat healthier and presented this at the Thanksgiving table last week--it was a hit! My old man, notoriously stubborn, ceded that he couldn't tell it was made without olive oil.