‘ Super food’ kale stars in this easy, gluten- free dish
MONTREAL — Kale is becoming more and more trendy.
I have spotted home gardeners putting in kale patches and even conservative cooks serving it and exchanging recipes using kale. It’s a regular on produce counters.
I like its nippy, crisp effect on a salad, just as I once welcomed Quebecgrown endive, but it’s prettier because of its deep green colour.
So it’s not surprising that The Book of Kale, which won British Columbia authors Sharon Hanna and Carol Pope a Taste Canada cookbook award in 2012, has led to a second volume, The Book of Kale and Friends ( Douglas & McIntyre, $ 26.95), a collection of more than 130 recipes for kale and other favourite “super foods” such as arugula and a variety of herbs.
Many good- looking and informative photographs by Christina Symons help make this book a success.
Plus factors are the dozens of quick tips for including all these foods in cooking, how- to- grow instructions, and a system of symbols indicating vegetarian, vegan and gluten- free recipes. Here’s a gluten- free recipe.
OVEN- BAKED EGGS WITH KALE
1 tbsp ( 15 mL) melted butter ½ cup ( 125 mL) whipping cream 8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 cup kale, cut in slivers (“chiffonade”) 1 tbsp water ( 15 mL) 1 small tomato, sliced 1 cup ( 250 mL) finely chopped chives ½ cup ( 125 mL) finely chopped flat- leaf parsley 1 tsp ( 5 mL) minced fresh rosemary, thyme or basil leaves ¼ cup ( 60 mL) crumbled goat or Swiss cheese 4 slices smoked salmon or lox 4 large eggs Salt and freshly ground pepper
Serves: four Preheat oven to 475F ( 245 C). Brush bottoms and halfway up the sides of four ramekins with the melted butter. Pour an equal amount of the cream and two garlic cloves into each ramekin and bake for fi ve minutes. Place kale in steamer or sieve over the water in a small saucepan on medium heat, covered, just until wilted, about two minutes. Remove garlic from ramekins, peel, slice thickly and set aside. Drain kale and divide between the four ramekins, then add a slice or two of tomato on top of the kale, a quarter of the garlic slices and some of the sliced chives, reserving about one tablespoon ( 15 mL). Then divide the parsley and rosemary between each ramekin followed by a quarter of the cheese. Then add a slice of salmon, and break an egg over the salmon. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the remaining chives. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes, just until the egg whites are almost set and the yolks are still runny. Let stand a few minutes; the eggs will continue to cook. Serve hot.