Kale
this member of the brassica family comes in a multitude of shapes, colors, and textures.
flavor
tender, sweet, succulent leaves, earthy
prep tips
Wash before eating or cooking. Can be stored unwashed or if limp give a ice cold dunk to restore turgor pressure and let drain dry. Use a salad spinner for the best results
cooking tips + recipes
If the stems on the kale are very thick, it's usually best to strip them away from the leaves to have a consistent texture.
Our kale can be eaten raw or cooked, and generally, we pick it in the petite stage to maximize sweetness while still having some body. This immature stage means you can use it for salads and cooking.
If you ever come across very fibrous/tough kale - never fear! You CAN still have that kale salad.
Supplies
Mixing Bowl (preferably glass, plastic, or non-reactive metal)
Elbow Grease + Clean Hands
10-15 minutes
Process
Cut your kale into bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl.
Sprinkle with a bit of salt, nothing crazy - just a light sprinkle.
Take them clean hands and begin to massage your kale.
A mix of clawing and squeezing motions will get the salt in contact with as much of the leaf surface as possible.
Let the magic happen once you have deemed the salt to have made its way around. Rest the salad for 5-15 minutes or until desired texture
The amount of pressure and work depends on the beginning texture and desired product but know the salt will do wonders, so let it do a lot of the work during the rest.
This method aims to draw the moisture out of the cells, thereby softening them by breaking the cell walls. It works pretty quickly and brings out the best flavor of the kale.
storage notes:
storage methods
Where to Store
Refrigerator, Crisper Drawer, High Humidity
Shelf life
Long term/preservation
+/- week
Storage
ID
varieties we grow
Ironman Kale, European Mix
tags
Spring, Vegetables, Greens, Kale, Brassica