Kale - curly vs dino?

[cristeen]

If I were just sauteeing them or cooking them into something, I'd say there's probably not enough of a difference to worry about. But how about eating them raw? I've had curly kale raw, but I've never had dino kale raw. I have an excellent kale salad recipe, and I have 1 bunch of each in my CSA box this week, just wondering if I can use both bunches or only the curly.

[sunnysandiegan]

I've probably had dino kale, but I don't know it by name. What does it look like?

We get all kinds of dark leafy greens in our CSA this time of year (San Diego). I'm not fond of kale raw, but LOVE it in omelets and quiches and stir-fry and soups. I also add it to smoothies and don't mind it at all. I have ripped up freshly washed random greens and added them to our raw veggie salads, but we keep the piece sizes tiny and don't use too many of the random greens in any one salad.

When we are in doubt, we tear off a bit of a leaf and eat it raw right then and there. I don't know what a certain green is we received on Thursday, but WHOA!!!! It had a major kick to it. Blech. DH & I didn't care for it at all. DD (age 9), however, LOVED it! Go figure.

[Chamomile Girl]

All the kale salad recipes I have call for dino.  Curly kale is too...textured...(chewy?) IMO.

[cristeen]

Dino kale looks like overgrown bumpy spinach. You know the spinach w textured leaves? Imagine that stretched to 10 inches long by 2 wide and a little bit darker green. Thats dino kale.

The green w the kick... Mustard or turnip most likely. Assuming it wasn't arugula, of course.

Cham - id never had kale raw at all until i tried this salad at a party and had to ask for the recipe. But it calls specifically for curly. I'll go ahead and use both bunches, see how it goes. The curly i can make and leave in the fridge 3 days and its still good (thats how long it took me to eat it, not how long it stayed good). Great use of winter veg (kale, beet, carrot).

[sunnysandiegan]

We were guessing the greens with a kick were mustard greens, so thanks! Do you eat them raw (DD likes 'em that way) or cooked (DH & I didn't notice them mixed in quiche nor stir-fry with other dark, leafy greens)?

I think I have had dino kale, might even have some now. Either that or they are collard greens... We don't actually know the names of several items we receive in our CSA box. We just eat 'em! LOL

IIRC, you live in NoCal, so we probably receive similar items in our respective CSA boxes.

[cristeen]

I prefer mustard greens cooked, it tames the bite.

Collards are a large round flat leaf, the center rib is tough and circular. They're a much lighter green. Almost a grayish green sometimes.

And yes, I live in the Northern half.

[sunnysandiegan]

Maybe I'll take some pictures later!!! We can play guess that green...

[Owen'nZoe]

Just wanted to throw out there that dino kale is also called lacinato kale, so you might be able to find more info on it with that name. I prefer it to the curly types of kale that I've had - I think it is a bit sweeter and milder. It makes really, really great kale chips, and if I were going to eat kale raw, I think it'd be the one I'd chose. Enjoy! Where I live, it is kind of hard to find - everyone here seems to plant Russian Red.

[kismetbaby]

Hi Cristeen! :)

I'm a big fan of kale, but haven't had much luck eating it raw.  I had a raw kale salad once at a vegan resturant and loved it, but the one time I tried to reproduce it, it was completely inedible. . .just too tough and bitter. I am guessing that it had less to do with the type of kale (although I prefer the dino kale in general) than the age of the greens. I expect for a raw salad you need to get very young leaves (sweeter and more tender). Just my guess.

How'd your salad turn out?  I'd be interested in the recipe if it turned out well. I tend to stick with stir frys and stews, although I recently discovered making kale chips. Yummy!  Just bought two bunches of dino kale today as WF was having a special and it was local.

[cristeen]

Kismet - I've had this salad before, I've even made it once before, and it's excellent. I haven't made it so far this week though - I'm sick and just don't have the energy right now... since kale is so hardy I've just been putting it off to deal with the stuff that isn't so hardy. 

And it turns out the entire thread was moot, I didn't look closely enough at my CSA box.  I thought there were 2 bunches of kale, but there weren't.  There was 1 kale, 1 collard, 1 chard. 

As for the recipe, this is what I got from the organizer of the party - he used raw beets, which I actually preferred over the cooked ones I used, and we skipped the almonds and the avo, it was just kale, carrot, beet and sesame seeds.  Really it's the dressing that makes it, and this is actually better after sitting at least an hour - or even a couple days. 

Raw Kale Salad

1 bunch curly green kale (shredded or ripped into small pieces)
2 carrots (grated)
1 bunch beets (steamed cut into chunks or grated raw)
1 avocado
1/2 cup tamari almonds or plain almonds
1/2 cup sesame seeds

optional ingredients:
cucumber chunks
garbanzo beans
red bell pepper
i have also added grapefruit, strawberries or other fruits if you
want a little sweetness

dressing:
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons tamari
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1-2 cloves garlic
salt + pepper (to taste)
cayenne (to taste)

Strip the kale leaves off the stem. chop or tear into bite sized pieces.
make dressing and pour amount desired over kale. massage and mix the dressing into the kale leaves.
sprinkle in the sesame seeds and toss.
wash and chop the other veggies and toss them in.

[kismetbaby]

Thanks Cristeen. That  does sound awesome. I am going to try it pronto!  I have a bunch of kale in the fridge right now that I was thinking of turning into kale chips, but I may have to do this instead.  I'd have to get some beets though.

Anywho. . .hope you are feeling better!

[Chicky2]

That's funny, I could have posted the same exact thing!  I have 5 bunches in the fridge...I think I'll do some of both.
 

Originally Posted by kismetbaby 

Thanks Cristeen. That  does sound awesome. I am going to try it pronto!  I have a bunch of kale in the fridge right now that I was thinking of turning into kale chips, but I may have to do this instead.  I'd have to get some beets though.

Anywho. . .hope you are feeling better!

[kismetbaby]

This was fabulous!!!!  I have finally found a way to eat raw kale--yay.

You're right though, its all about the dressing. That stuff is amazing, I'd eat anything I poured on it I think.

I wound up being very loose with the recipe (for the salad part not the dressing) and it was still fantastic. I didn't have beets so I used some purple cabbage instead and I chopped up some satsumas and tossed them in there. And I added some lettuce right before serving to lighten it up a bit, since kale has a strong flavor and can take some serious chewing.

My DH liked it and he usually complains about the darker greens. Had leftovers for lunch today and it was even better.

[meemee]

after eating raw dino kale i can never ever go back to cooked kale again.

in my csa box i go thru the kale and pull out the baby kale leaves. the older bigger ones and the rinds of the little ones i keep for cooking.

if there is not enough kale i use cabbage.

and if there is not enough i add some cooked cold brown rice.

dressing

tahini 

olive oil

balsamic vinegar (since i like it sour - i'm an olive oil, bals. vinegar adn rosemary on bread kinda girl instead of bread and butter, you can also use apple cider v)

tamari

salt 

pepper if you'd like

put all these and shake in a bottle. 

raisins

toasted sunflower seeds

[Chicky2]

Well, since we're also posting what we do w/our kale, I wanted to add my sesame kale recipe.  I use to cook it, but since have found I enjoy it way more just massaged in.  I also use this to make our favorite kale chips in the dehydrator.

For about 3 bunches of kale (take out ribs and rip into pieces or cut), mince 1.5 inches of fresh ginger, and a couple of cloves of garlic.  Add in 3 Tbsp or so of soy sauce (whatever kind you have/like), about 2 Tbsp of rice vinegar, a nice drizzle of toasted sesame oil, and a couple of tsp of sesame seeds.  Mix and massage mixture into kale leaves and then eat!  Or put in dehydrator til nice and crispy. MMMMMM!

[meemee]

oh one more thing. 

have you tasted just the raw kale. the younger leaves? while cooking i end up eating half of them just like that because they are Sooooo good just raw and sweet with nothing on them. when i get my csa box its been harvested that morning. 

[Chicky2]

That's what I do while I'm harvesting my kale.  Nummy!