Jeni Humors a Friend

Below you is the recipe I used for my creamed kale.  I adapted it from My Favorite Food Blog, Hands Down.  In fact, I did everything she did with her chard, but I used kale.  She says you can swap out the milk for cream or half and half, but if you’re a weird vegan kind of person, I guess you could use vegetable broth.  Oh, I just crack myself up.

Here is her recipe, changed barely.  But that’s okay, because I give credit where credit it due, and I am introducing you to a great recipe blog.  I used the larger amount of milk, because I wanted to use it as a pasta topper, but I had so much kale it really wasn’t saucy enough. 

1 bunch beautiful, lovely, ever-so-yummy kale, thick stems removed and leaves sliced into ribbons
3 green onions, ends trimmed, white and some green parts sliced into thin coins
3 tablespoons butter  (oops!  use olive oil instead?)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
Salt and pepper

Wash your incredibly delicious kale, but no need to dry it, just place it in a large pot over high heat. Cook, covered, with just the water clinging to leaves, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 6 minutes.

Press or squeeze out the excess liquid any number of ways, either by wringing it out in cheesecloth (my favorite method), putting it in a mesh strainer and pressing the moisture out with a spatula or large spoon or letting it cool long enough to grab small handfuls and squeezing them to remove as much water as possible.

Wipe out the large pot so you can use it again. Heat milk or cream in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until warm. Keep warm. Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic, if using, in butter in your wiped-out large pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about six minutes. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, about three minutes. Add warm milk or cream in a slow stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking, until thickened, three to four minutes. Stir in kale, then salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until heated through.

The pancetta I made was Spring Asparagus Pancetta Hash, more or less, and the kids topped it with the creamed kale and wow! was it good.