I’ve been trying to do a test run of Suzanne Goin’s stuffing with slow-cooked kale, but I can’t get beyond the cooking of the slow-cooked kale step. I’ve tried twice, but the kale keeps disappearing, and as a result, my loaves of country bread and bulbs of fennel continue to be neglected.
Cooking kale in this manner is new for me. For one, like many people, I have taken to eating it raw not only because it tastes good but also because one raw bunch can be stretched over more meals than one cooked bunch. Second, if I do sauté it, I do it very quickly over high heat with a little olive oil, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. I’m not sure I’ll ever do that again.
In Goin’s method, the kale is blanched first, roughly chopped and then sautéed over low heat for thirty minutes in olive oil with onions, garlic, rosemary and chile de árbol. It’s almost black and slightly crispy when finished. It is sweet and addictive. It’s dishes such as this that make me understand (almost) how people can be vegetarian. I ate the first batch in one sitting — yes, nearly one pound of kale — directly from the pan spooning bites here and there onto toasted bread only wishing I had the motivation to poach an egg. With the second batch, I did the same but saved enough to cover the surface of a giant omelet sprinkled with feta, which Ben and I devoured for dinner.
It’s unfortunate that this doesn’t look more appetizing because it is SO good:
This is the batch I made with curly kale as opposed to Tuscan. It was still delicious, but as I noted above, I over crowded the pan a little bit, which prevented the pieces from getting as dark and crispy and delicious. This issue of course could have been rectified had I removed some of the kale and let the remainder crisp up on its own.
Description
Bon Appetit’s notes: Tuscan kale, also called black kale, dinosaur kale, Lacinato kale, or cavolo nero, has long, narrow, dark green bumpy leaves; find it at farmers’ markets and some supermarkets. Dried chiles de árbol are available at Latin markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
My notes: I made one batch with Tuscan kale and another with curly kale. They were both delicious but the Tuscan kale was more so. The second time, too, I overcrowded the pan with kale and the pieces didn’t get as dark and delicious, so I would caution against trying to cram more than a generous layer of kale into whatever pan you are using. It does cook down a little bit, but not as dramatically as unblanched spinach or chard when sautéed.
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more
- 1 pound Tuscan kale (about 2 bunches), center ribs and stems removed
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 sprig rosemary
- 1 dried chile de árbol, broken into 4 pieces
- 1 cup sliced yellow onion
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil over high heat. Working in 2 batches, blanch kale for 2 minutes. Drain, let cool, and squeeze out excess water with your hands. Coarsely chop; set aside. (Note: I used a little more than one pound of kale to start (before removing the center rib and stem) and got about 3 cups of chopped kale out of it.)
- Heat a large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup oil, rosemary sprig, and chile. Let sizzle, shaking pan often, for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onion. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often; stir in garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and kale; stir to coat. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until kale turns almost black and is slightly crisp at edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Discard rosemary and chile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
Description
Bon Appetit’s notes: Tuscan kale, also called black kale, dinosaur kale, Lacinato kale, or cavolo nero, has long, narrow, dark green bumpy leaves; find it at farmers’ markets and some supermarkets. Dried chiles de árbol are available at Latin markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
My notes: I made one batch with Tuscan kale and another with curly kale. They were both delicious but the Tuscan kale was more so. The second time, too, I overcrowded the pan with kale and the pieces didn’t get as dark and delicious, so I would caution against trying to cram more than a generous layer of kale into whatever pan you are using. It does cook down a little bit, but not as dramatically as unblanched spinach or chard when sautéed.
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more
- 1 pound Tuscan kale (about 2 bunches), center ribs and stems removed
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 sprig rosemary
- 1 dried chile de árbol, broken into 4 pieces
- 1 cup sliced yellow onion
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil over high heat. Working in 2 batches, blanch kale for 2 minutes. Drain, let cool, and squeeze out excess water with your hands. Coarsely chop; set aside. (Note: I used a little more than one pound of kale to start (before removing the center rib and stem) and got about 3 cups of chopped kale out of it.)
- Heat a large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup oil, rosemary sprig, and chile. Let sizzle, shaking pan often, for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onion. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often; stir in garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and kale; stir to coat. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until kale turns almost black and is slightly crisp at edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Discard rosemary and chile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2012/11/18/suzanne-goins-slow-cooked-kale-stuffing-maybe/
Sometimes things just work out for the best. Just as I was about to declare Thanksgiving ruined — my third corn syrup-less pecan pie tasted just as curdled and watery and messy as my first — I took a stab at yet another recipe, making a most-delectable discovery in the process: maple cream tart, a recipe Food52 adapted from NYC’s Left Bank .
I am in awe of this tart’s texture. The absence of eggs makes it exceptionally light yet somehow it tastes as smooth and creamy as an untorched crème brûlée. For maple syrup lovers, nothing could be more delicious, and best of all, it’s a cinch to assemble. The custard, as promised, comes together in two minutes and while the tart shell requires a blind baking, the assembled tart bakes in just twenty-five minutes.
I know it’s very late in the game to start switching up dessert menus, but if you’re still looking for something to serve or perhaps to bring to a Thanksgiving feast, this one is just as festive as any of the classics. For me, it’s even better and will always be considered the tart that saved Thanksgiving 2012. Gobble Gobble.
Description
- First: This is a sweet tart. Do not make it if you tend to like less sweet desserts. A dollop of crème fraîche offsets the sweetness, but it’s still sweet.
- I never blind bake anymore — I don’t think it’s necessary. I’ve adjusted the recipe below to reflect how I make my tart dough and freeze it prior to baking it.
- If you are using a 9-inch tart pan, you may want to use these proportions for the filling. I made the tart yesterday (10/11/2019) and had no issue with spilling: 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar 3 tablespoons maple syrup 1 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons (28 g) all-purpose flour
- I just ordered an 11-inch tart pan and will revisit the recipe once it arrives with the original proportions.
Please See Notes Above Before Making: You may need to adjust quantities based on the size of your tart pan.
For the tart dough:
- 1 1/4 cups ( 160g ) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon table or kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons ( 4 oz | 114g ) cold, cubed butter, salted or unsalted
- 1/4 C. + 1 T. ( 71 g ) ice water
For the filling:
1 cup ( 195 g ) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup ( 32 g ) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Creme fraiche or Greek yogurt, for serving
- Make the pastry: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar and salt together. Add the cold, cubed butter to the food processor. Pulse at 1-second intervals until butter is the size of peas—should be about 10 quick pulses. Add the ice water and pulse again about 10 times until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pinched. Lay a clean tea towel on a work surface. Dump the crumbly dough mixture into the center of it. Grab the four corners of the towel together and twist to create a beggar’s purse, pressing the dough into a round.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12- or 13-inch round. Use as much flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking, and every few rolls, flip the dough over. Transfer dough to a tart pan with a removable bottom. Fit the dough into the pan, trimming the edges. Transfer to freezer for 30 minutes.
- Make the tart. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and place a rack in the center of the oven. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, maple syrup, cream, and flour until smooth. (Please see notes above regarding quantities if using a 9-inch tart pan.) Pour this mixture into the tart shell. Bake until the maple cream just sets — it should still jiggle a little — 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. Serve sliced with dollops of crème fraiche or Greek yogurt. (Store in fridge if making a day in advance. Bring to room temperature briefly before serving.)
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
