What is Kale and Why Would I Want to Cook with It?

by: KCKudra
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Kale is something that many cooks have not come across but if you find out a little more about it, you will find out that kale is very versatile and can be used in many different recipes. Kale is a delicious leafy green and there are many kale recipes to choose from out there. You might want to try a kale soup recipe, a kale salad recipe or add it to stews and casseroles.

Before the 1600s, kale was the most common green vegetable but it has been around since long before then. There is evidence of kale cultivation going right back to the fourth century BC in Greece. Kale was a popular addition to the British Victory Gardens of World War II and people are rediscovering the goodness and flavor of kale these days. There are a lot of new kale recipes and kale is cooked in recipes all over the globe.

If you have been out for dinner several nights in a row or not cooked for another reason, you have probably opened your refrigerator door at some point and winced at a soggy, brown pile of what were once vegetables. Kale freezes very well and actually tastes sweeter after being exposed to a frost. If you have fresh kale and especially fresh kale shoots which are very tender, try adding them to a salad. If you are making a kale salad, you might also want to add strong peppers, roasted nuts and peanuts, all of which bring out the strong, smoky flavor.

If you want to know how to cook kale, the good new is that cooking kale is easy. It is also optional because kale tastes great raw too. If you like cooked vegetables, you might like to try a southern African recipe in which the kale is boiled with ground peanuts and coconut milk and served on top of flatbread or rice. This is a very good way to enjoy a tasty vegetarian treat, which is both delicious and healthy.

By contrast, you will also find that in Europe, kale is often combined with sliced or ground up meat, especially heavily spiced sausage or ground beef. It is usually combined with potatoes, broth, and olive oil and served in such a way that will complement the meat; in this fashion, the meat does not completely obscure the taste of the greens, as it would with a milder vegetable. You will also find that kale can be quite tasty if it is chopped up and added to stir-fry, something that happens around the globe.

If you want to stir fry kale, add some Japanese shiitake mushrooms to the mixture. Remove the stems of the kale and cut the leaves into large parts. Heat some oil in a wok or large frying pan and gently fry the garlic, mushrooms, and anything else you want to add. When these ingredients are tender, add the kale and season with pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil and you will have a delicious, healthy meal within minutes, which is great served with some noodles or rice.

Kale is very underrated but you can see now that it can be used in many different recipes. So why not buy some kale the next time you shop for vegetables and discover its unique taste for yourself!

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On a cool day nothing warms you inside like our creamy potato soup recipe it is one of the best potato soup recipe you will find.  

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