Kale
is all the rage. We don't know why it has become so fashionable. It is packed full
of vitamins and minerals, but then so are many green vegetables. Lynne decided
we ought to give it another try as our previous encounter was not good; the kale
we ate was like eating glass. She was speaking on the phone to our friend in
Holland when it occurred to her that kale there is one of their winter national
dishes. So this is the recipe this week. It does require a smoked sausage like
Rookworst but, if you don’t eat pork, you could try one of those kosher Garlic
sausages. Recommendation: The flavour of kale is much improved by frost, which it won’t get here in South Africa. So put yours in the freezer the night before
you want to cook this. This is real winter rib sticking food. Could you make
this with sweet potato if you are Banting, Perhaps try?
500
g fresh kale - 4 large peeled potatoes - 50g fatty bacon or pancetta - oil -
butter - salt - freshly ground black pepper - 1t white wine vinegar - 1 t Dijon
or sweet honey mustard - 1 Rookworst
Make sure the kale is well washed. Drain well, then
chop very finely with a sharp knife, removing any thick centre cores. Put into
some salted boiling water, preferably in a pressure cooker and boil. It will
take about 10 minutes in the pressure cooker, 20 minutes in a covered pot. Chop
the bacon very small and fry in some oil and butter till crisp. Drain but
reserve some of the liquid. At the same time boil the potatoes until soft. Mash
with the butter. Stir in the kale, the vinegar, the mustard and the bacon. It is said that this is much better the
following day. You cook the sausage for a few minutes in boiling water then
slice and serve on top of the warm Kale and potato mix. Optional extras are
fried onion and garlic
© John & Lynne
Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
