Curly kale, curly kale, curly kale! Now that is something to celebrate! When I saw the bright green and purple leaves bubbling out of this week’s CSA it was like a giant edible ribbon on a birthday present. I’ve become a fiend for nutty crunchy kale chips – a highly palatable way to get calcium! Of course I did not make them the same as I did a few weeks ago; I have an incessant need to always change.
These were made on the same premise as my original recipe, but instead had an Asian flair with peanut oil, sesame seeds, ground ginger and rice vinegar. I also sprinkled the salt on them once they were on the cookie sheet as it’s easy to add too much. Paired with braised leeks and brussel sprouts, the surprise crunch topped the cake!
Braised Brussel Sprouts with Curly Kale Chips – Recipe
Brussel Sprouts – Ingredients:
- 1 pound Brussel sprouts, washed and halved
- peanut oil
- 2 small leeks, washed and sliced
- dash rice vinegar
- salt and pepper
Kale Chips – Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch kale, washed and deveined
- peanut oil
- ground ginger
- sesame seeds
- salt/pepper
- hot pepper flakes
Brussel Sprouts – Directions:
1) In a saute pan heat the peanut oil and toss in the leeks to caramelize.
2) Once the leeks begin to turn translucent, toss in the Brussel sprouts and cook on medium heat until they being to brown.
3) After the leeks and Brussel sprouts are well browned, deglaze the pan with a splash of rice vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
Kale Chips – Directions:
1) Tear kale into small pieces after it is deveined.
2) In a bowl, toss kale with a little drizzle of peanut oil and a shake of rice vinegar. The kale should be lightly coated.
3) Next, place the kale chips in one layer on a cookie sheet or two.
4) Sprinkle the chips with sesame seeds, ground ginger, pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
5) Bake at 375 degrees until the chips are crisp. It is important to use dry kale to make these otherwise they will steam, and it will take much longer to bake them. If they are dry, the baking time should be about seven minutes.
Vegetarian Perspective 