organic kale

Good week everyone!

This week, I'm writing about the purple wavy leaves that were in our box last week, those that not everyone could identify.

They are kale and I'm happy to write about them. Kaale is considered a delicacy by the English-speakers and I am frequently asked if I grow them. So yes, I do - they were delivered in our boxes several times recently and will be again, but not for much longer. Because like the rest of its family, the cabbages ( broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc...), it prefers to grow in winter.

Kale originates from the Mediterranean region and Asia Minor, and was grown more than 2500 years ago by the Greeks. After them, the Romans grew it and it was transferred by traders and roaming tribes almost everywhere. Now it's grown in the United States, Europe, Africa, and elsewhere.

Kale is a member of the cruciferea family and like its siblings can be eaten fresh. For the cooks amongst us, it is excellent to sauté' or steam and can be treated as chard in cooking (although it's not from the same family) or cabbage. It can be eaten raw, cut small in salads, or used for fillings. It can be cooked by steaming or frying in a pan. You can add it to soup or use it as a supplement to rice, pasta, or potatoes.

Kale is similar to cauliflower. Sometimes it's seen in landscape gardens as a "decorative cabbage", planted for its beauty. Its leaves are a combination of colors - white, yellow and purple. I remember it from public gardening in Jerusalem. This is actually the same kale we eat.

Kale is an important element in "soul food". Soul food originates in the kitchen of African slaves in the USA. Kale has a special ability to withstand harsh weather and grows easily in different land types. In short, it is quite comfortable for growing. Like other edible "weeds" that were grown in the days of besieged Jerusalem, kale has great nutritional value. Like chubeiza and silka, kale is a "soul saving food".

Today, many gourmet restaurants are going back to those roots and serving wild weeds collected in nature, maybe by a young chef who studied in France and specialized in California, but is trying to remember what he learned from his mother.

Kale is a primitive cabbage that survived and was domesticated over the years because of human selection. Every year, plants with the largest leaves were kept until we have obtained the kale we have today. The same story from the same plant is also true for broccoli - in that case, seeds from plants with the largest flower bud were kept. To obtain kohlrabi, seeds from plants with the thickest stem were kept and for cabbage, seeds from the plants with the most developed head. This process applies to the rest of the family as well.

Kale's real, and unique, name in the family is Brassica oleracea. In free translation, that means "headless cabbage." The leaves are rich in iron, vitamins A, C, and B6, calcium, potassium, and nutritional fiber. They are also rich in anti-cancer phytochemicals (like other family members including broccoli and cabbage leaves - eat them, they are excellent steamed or sautéed).

Kale in literature:
The Kailyard School is a literary institute established in Scotland to encourage sentimental writing that is free from the pain and problems of rural life at the end of the 19th century. Kailyard School was established in response to what was perceived as crude writing on Scottish life at the time. One of the writers in the school was James Berry, the creator of Peter Pan.

Yesterday my mom sautéed sliced zucchini and a cucumber by mistake (that tasted so good) with chard, spinach from last week, and kale. To that we added a little soy sauce and it was a great addition to pasta.
I am reminding you to send me changes and additions by Tuesday at 11:00
Our expectation  list for this week:
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Beets
Zucchinis
Cilantro or parsley
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
kolorabi

in the large ones also;
Potatoes
Cauliflower
Swiss chard

Fruit baskets;
Bananas and avocados
Citrus fruit

More recipes from people who know better than I:

Caldo Verde - Portuguese green soup:

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 ½ cups chicken soup
Teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ kg kale, thin strips, without stems

• Preparation:
Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, 3 cups water, and boil. Lower the heat, cover, and continue to cook until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Crush the potatoes with a blender to create a lumpy texture. Mix in the kale, cook in an uncovered pot until the kale is soft, 5-8 minutes

Ayib be Gomen - Ethiopian kale dish

Ingredients:
2 bunches of kale without stems
2 cups kfir (yogurt drink) or cottage cheese
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt

• Preparation:
Rinse the kale, chop the leaves, and cook in water until soft. Drain and squeeze well.
Mix all seasoning ingredients with the kale and serve

Långkål - creamed kale - a mandatory dish on Swedish and Dutch holiday tables

Ingredients:
2 bunches kale
1 cup chicken soup
2 tablespoons butter
Cup cream
¼ teaspoon sugar
Ground salt and pepper

• Preparation:
Separate the kale leaves from the stems, put the leaves in a large pot, add chicken soup. Cook over medium heat until most liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add butter and cook, stirring about 2 minutes. Add cream and sugar, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a warm serving bowl

Kale Crunch - baked kale chips. An American Recipe

Ingredients:
A little olive oil for greasing the pan
Large bunch of kale, chopped, no stems (about ½ kg)
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

• Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil, grease with olive oil, add the kale leaves, scatter them as much as possible. Bake 10 minutes, while mixing once or twice. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes mixing occasionally, until the desired crispness. Chips will be good for a week or two if closed in a container. No need to refrigerate.