Monday, July 7, 2008

Cavalo Nero Gratin

Also known as Tuscan Kale, Dinosaur Kale or the english translation, Black Cabbage. I had never heard of this vegetable before, and was intrigued to try it due to its huge amount of vitamins and minerals. As I am unsure as to what it tastes like, I thought this Gratin recipe would be a good first introduction as the cheese will probably make it edible for Ryan regardless of its taste.

Some Facts About KALE
  • Kale or Borecole is a form of cabage, green in color, in which the central leaves do not form a head.
  • Kale is the most robust cabbage type - indeed the hardiness of kale is unmatched by any other vegetable.
  • Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory.
EASE: 2.5/5. The annoying part is that you boil, fry and bake the kale.
Prep time: 5mins. To cut and wash the kale and get ingredients prepared and water boiled.
Cooking Time: 40mins. 5mins to boil and drain the kale. 15mins for the frying and then 20mins in the oven.
TOTAL: 45mins.

TASTE: 4/5. Both Ryan and I enjoyed this. The taste was similar to spinach but sweeter and with a nicer texture. I have a feeling the onion (it was quite large) may have largely contributed to the sweetness and the cheese probably masked the true flavour of the kale, so this recipe isn't the best way to taste kale. But it tasted great - I increased the amount of cheese topping - I also used mozarella, grana padano, parmesan and cheddar. I would probably only use the parmesan and maybe the gruyere next time as it congealed together and became a little chewy.

Would I make again: Yes.
It's a good side dish. I served this with a steak which I cooked while it was in the oven.

Recipe: http://www.cuisine.com.au/recipe/cavolo-nero-gratin

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