Venus Rising

Food for SoulIssue: Capricorn 07

Reintroduce Yourself to Kale

We may have had our fill of winter’s seasonal foods, but instead of dwelling on the absence of fresh salads, we should stop and consider the seasonal greens that take their place in winter. When all else is brown, wilted, or turned under, winter greens such as collard greens, broccoli rabe, and kale remain vivid and alive. It is the season for these tougher greens because they thrive in cold temperatures, withstand frosty nights, and persevere with less daylight. 

Winter greens are indeed rugged and none are more so than kale. Misunderstood, kale has long had a bad rap, most likely because early on it was relegated to the level of garnish at the iceberg salad buffet. It also lacks popularity because it is considered a tough bitter vegetable you “should” eat as opposed to the darlings of today, like baby spinach or mesclun greens. I urge you to reintroduce yourself to kale because it is delicious and packs a nutritional punch that romaine can only dream of.

Kale is one of the dark green, leafy vegetables of the brassica oleracea, or cabbage, acephala family. Kale is the oldest ancestor in the cabbage family and means “cabbage of the vegetable garden without a head.” When cultivation of plants began, leaves were the part of the plant that was eaten. For that reason, kale, and its ability to grow larger and larger leaves each year was a popular choice. Ancient Greeks grew kale, as did the Romans, and by the 4^th Century B.C. kale was the most common garden vegetable. 

Curly kale, with its broad leaves, ruffled edges, thick stalks, and pine tree green color, came first and was cooked daily to softness and served with grains. Italians then cultivated lacintha kale, which has taller more slender leaves, with markedly dark green, almost black or purple colors and little rivets and divots throughout. Also called Tuscan or black kale, it was traditionally stewed with herbs and oil in stock. As tastes evolved, tenderer center leaves and tighter buds were cultivated, which spawned modern cabbages and brussel sprouts. There is also a group of kale grown strictly for ornamental purposes. Although these green, white, and purple kales are sold at garden stores instead of grocery stores, they are perfectly edible, as long as they have not been treated with chemicals.

Traditional curly kale can be bitter and a bit spicy. However, one light frost will sweeten its taste and soften its bite. White and light green varieties are naturally mild and often impart a buttery texture when cooked. One would think that the darkest kale would have the strongest taste, but lacintha kale is actually the sweetest of the bunch and the mildest when cooked. While each type of kale has its own flavor and texture, all have an intense amount of valuable nutrients. Full of beta carotene, vitamins A, K, B-6 and C, as well as naturally occurring antioxidants that fight cancer and other degenerative diseases, one serving of kale has more nutritional value than a whole head of iceberg lettuce.