BEFORE COOKING COMES PATIENCE
Cooking kale is easy.
Cleaning it is another story.
Every leaf has to be folded, the tough central stem removed, and the damaged parts discarded.
It’s repetitive work.
The kind of quiet kitchen task that almost becomes meditative once you stop trying to rush it.
Only after that does kale reveal how simple it really is.
SOFT, NEVER CRUNCHY
Many international recipes celebrate crunchy kale.
Italy doesn’t.
Here leafy greens are often cooked until completely tender.
The result is softer, sweeter, and ready to absorb olive oil, garlic, lemon, or whatever comes next.
That basic preparation becomes the starting point for countless recipes: soups, bruschette, pasta sauces, or simply sautéed greens served warm or at room temperature.
THE FINAL SAUTÉ
Once boiled, kale can be enjoyed simply with extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
Or, for a more traditional finish, sauté it for a few minutes in garlic-infused olive oil, with a fresh chili if you enjoy a little heat.
That’s often all an Italian kitchen asks of a vegetable.
Good olive oil.
A little patience.
And enough time to become wonderfully soft.
How to cook kale on the stove
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 tbsp salt
- baking soda and vinegar for cleaning and disinfecting
Instructions
how to clean kale leaves
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Clean kale leaves singularly, by cutting off the center stem and discarding it. Discard the ugly and ruined leaves too.
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Wash the leaves thoroughly under running water and soak them for a few minutes if particularly dirty.
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Rinse and drain the kale leaves.
how to cook kale on the stove
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Bring a big pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the kale leaves. Cook, uncovered, 20 minutes.
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Drain well.
Your kale is now ready to become almost anything.
A side dish.
A bruschetta topping.
A soup.
A pasta sauce.
Or simply itself.
Enjoy your kale!
Claudia