Sweet Kale

When we first started receiving hearty Winter greens we didn't know what to do with them.  We both had always eaten spinach and other lettuces, but we had never really purchased or consumed many dark leafy greens (with the exception of Collard Greens; we are from the South).

Once you have an understanding of how to cook Kale or Swiss Chard or Dandelion Greens, I feel like you can do a lot of fun experimenting and add favorite flavors or spices to make a dish all your own.

Here, I simply added Golden Raisins to the Kale sautéed in garlic and red onion.

Non-Recipe Recipe for Cooking Kale

Cut out stems from Kale leaves and set aside.  Cut stems in 1-inch pieces.  Roll leaves together and chop in 1-inch pieces.  In a saucepan, sautée onion and garlic in oil until onion becomes soft.  Add stems to pan and let cook for 3-5 minutes.  Add chopped Kale to pan, and begin sautéing.  Also add some water, enabling the Kale to cook through and become soft.  Cook for 10-15 minutes until Kale is bright green and softened.

From here, add whatever other ingredients sound good: pine nuts, raisins, peppers, chile powder, etc.  Adding a fatty meat to the onion and garlic before adding the Kale is a way to guarantee additional flavor, but you don't have to add fat to make a Kale dish delicious.