My traditional kale recipe with bacon is a classic winter dish. It is being enjoyed in holiday season, as well as in January and February following. It can serve as a single, filling meal, or makes a great side for roasts, roast poultry, and thick stews.
This hearty dish is traditionally made with pork lard, but if that’s not to your taste, you can substitute it with butter or goose fat. For a vegetarian version, simply replace the lard with oil and omit the meat.
Making Kale Easier to Digest
Kale is naturally hard to digest. Spices like caraway, anise, and even dill or fennel seeds can help make kale more digestible. Alternatively, you can serve a warm cup of anise or fennel tea after the meal for added comfort.
Preparing your Fresh Kale
Always wash your fresh kale leaves thoroughly before cooking. Soak the kale in a water bath, moving it around gently to release any fine sand that might be stuck to the leaves. For particularly tender kale, use only the dark green parts of the leaves and remove the tough stems (or ribs).
If fresh kale is unavailable, you can opt for jarred or frozen kale. When using this jarred kale, use it as is, including liquids and all. Frozen kale has to be thawed beforehand. Since both options are already soft or precooked, cooking time will be much shorter. Just add onion, spices, and bacon, and simmer it for 1 hour only.
A helpful tip: Adding a bit of baking soda to the cooking water helps preserve the rich green color of the kale. It’s tasteless and safe to use, so it won’t alter the flavor.
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the cooked kale in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days and reheat is as needed. However, it’s best not to reheat them too often, and they should be warmed slowly. They should also not be kept warm for extended periods. Kale freezes wonderfully, making it easy to store leftovers for later.
Also try traditional Sauerkraut, or Roasted Butternut Squash.
Equipment
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 4.4 lbs Kale
- 6 cups Water for blanching
- 4 tsp Salt
- 2 cups Vegetable broth
- 3.5 oz Lard
- 1 Onion medium-sized
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 1 lbs Smoked bacon thickly slices or in chunks
- ⅓ tsp Baking soda
Instructions
- Wash the kale thoroughly and remove the thick stems from the center of the leaves. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil, adding the baking soda. Baking soda preserves the green color of kale during the cooking process. Gradually add the kale. Let it briefly boil and then drain using a sieve. Discard the water, as you no longer need it.
- Peel and roughly chop the onion. Heat the lard in a pot, sauté the onions, and add the kale. Stir occasionally until the kale wilts.
- Add the seasonings, and broth. The sugar will make the kale milder, and the broth will enhance its flavor. Be careful with the salt, as the bacon is already salty. Add about 1 cup (250 ml) of water and stir well to evenly distribute the spices.
- Place the bacon slices on top of the kale and cover it with the kale. You can use them in slices, or cut them into chunks, it is up to your preference. Let it simmer at medium heat for about 2 hours. Check occasionally to see if you need to add more water.
- After the cooking time, taste the stew and add sausages if desired. Let them heat through. Then your braised kale is ready to serve.It gets even more tasty, if you let it sit overnight, and serve it the next day.
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