Kale has attained the status of a super vegetable in recent months. According to renowned dieticians, a couple servings a week can cure male patterned baldness, restore receding gum lines, prevent crow’s feet on middle-aged women, eradicate toenail fungus and make teenagers obey their parents. Well, maybe I exaggerate, I do that often, but it is true that kale has been elevated to a super healthy vegetable and rightly so.
Kale is more popular than ever, and it’s packed with vitamins and minerals. The tasty greens even contain alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, and everybody knows that’s good for you.
Kale is a semi-regular visitor to my family’s dinner table. It is a nice change of pace from the green regimen of peas, Brussel sprouts, asparagus, green beans and broccoli, and it’s fairly easy to prepare.
I have grown kale in my small vegetable garden in the past, but I opted for Brussel sprouts this year. That was a mistake. I have lots of Brussels, but no sprouts. But at the last trip to the grocery store, I saw some kale that looked particularly fresh and crispy, so I bought it.
Normally, I toss kale in a pot of boiling water, add some salt and cook it till it gets soft, then serve. It’s good that way, but not great.
Last week, I wanted great, and I decided to experiment.
I put a couple cups of chicken broth in a pot, chopped up the kale and added a cup of parmesan cheese at the end. It was very good. Next time you feel the need for a super vegetable that tastes great, try this simple recipe.
Kale Parmesan
1 bunch fresh kale
2 cups chicken broth
Kosher salt to taste
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
Wash the Kale and cut off the thick part of the stems. Cut the remaining leaves into smaller, bite size pieces. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, add the chopped kale and salt and cook until just tender. Remove from the heat, put in a colander to drain, then back into a serving bowl. Add the parmesan cheese while the kale is hot, toss, serve and enjoy.
You know, my toenail fungus is looking better and better!