Sauteed Kale

Almost one year ago I stumbled across an article in Men's Fitness that outlined the best "super foods" available. There were names that I had never heard of before, but now they are staples in my diet. Kale is one of these super foods. It is extremely high in fiber, iron and anti-oxidants. It has somewhat of a bitter taste. However, if seasoned properly, it is very good.

Tonight I decided to try something new to my usual sauteed kale dish. I looked at a recipe online by Bobby Flan and he suggests adding vegetable stock. I tried it and was very pleased with the result. It made the kale a little "juicier" and flavorful.

When I make kale, I cut the leaves from the stem and discard the stem. Then, I boil water and drop the leaves in for 1-2 minutes (max). It's important not to overcook them. Once the leaves become dark green and look straight, I take them out and pat dry with a paper towel. Then, I let them sit until I'm ready to saute them.

In the meantime, I microwave a few slices of bacon. The bacon offsets the bitterness of the kale. I also add sea salt, but the bacon makes it salty, too. So, be careful with how much salt you actually use.

When the ingredients are finally ready, I pour a little extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan and add the chopped garlic. The garlic sizzles in the olive oil and I add the kale before the garlic turns brown. Then, the kale is mixed with the oil and tossed around before adding the bacon, sea salt, vegetable stock and basil. Toss everything for a few minutes (maybe 5) and it is ready to serve.

Ingredients:
4-5 stalks of green kale
5 slices of bacon
2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3-5 tablespoons of vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
sea salt (to taste)
basil (to taste)

Music: Vittorio Grigolo - All In Love Is Fair
Weather: 32-degrees (F) with 3" of accumulated snow (on October 12th!)