Kale Pesto

Kale is abundant right now. It is a nutrition powerhouse. One serving of kale packs 70 percent of the RDI for vitamin C with a mere 20 calories per serving. If you participate in a CSA, you have been getting plenty of it for the last several weeks. It is also available at your local farmer's markets. I love the slightly bitter, peppery flavor of kale, but the other member of my family is not a fan. How could I get him to happily eat kale. This recipe did it. A classic pesto with kale instead of basil.

Recipe

1/2 pound kale leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 whole garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of black pepper

Bring 2 cups of water to boil in a large sauce pan. Wash the kale and strip the leaves from the stems. Add the kale to the sauce pan and cook until tender. This should take between 15-20 minutes.

Drain the kale and immediately shock the drained leaves in ice water. This stops the cooking process and maintains the bright green color of the leaves. Remove the leaves from the ice water and squeeze the leaves dry.

Add the kale leaves, the toasted pine nuts and garlic cloves to a food processor. While processing, slowly pour the olive oil down the feed tube. Process the mixture until smooth. Scrape the pesto into a bowl and stir in the freshly, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings. Toss with hot pasta, rice or slather it on a sandwich. Serves 6.

Tips

Cover the pesto with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. It will keep for several days. When you bring your kale home, store in the fridge unwashed. It is best to eat the kale within one to two days. The bitter flavor becomes more pronounced the longer that it is stored.