Food trends are interesting things. Somebody, somewhere, plucks an ingredient from obscurity and thrusts it into the spotlight, where it is absolutely idolised for a period of time before just as quickly falling from grace and becoming deeply unfashionable.
Kale is a perfect example. Once considered little more than fodder for cattle, kale rose to almost god-like (and certainly superfood) status in the early 2010s, with Bon Appetit magazine officially declaring 2012 "The Year of Kale". It was everywhere. Smoothies, supplements, salads, chips, juices and even sweet baking. Entire cookbooks were dedicated to it. It appeared in supermarkets, cooking shows and fine dining restaurants in seemingly endless forms. Social media certainly helped drive the trend and, looking back, kale was one of the earliest examples of a food going truly viral. I was at culinary school at the time and it felt as though every second project somehow involved kale. Now though, poor Kale is considered a bit outdated and certainly isn’t the darling it was a decade ago.
The funny thing is that kale was feeding people long before it was being added to bliss-balls and photographed for Instagram. For centuries it was a staple peasant crop throughout Europe, valued not because it was fashionable, but because it was hardy, productive and capable of providing fresh greens through the colder months when little else was available. In many ways, its brief reign as a superfood was a good re-discovering of something our ancestors already knew.
Well, food trend or not, I still love kale. It really is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins K, A and C, along with fibre, folate and a range of beneficial plant compounds. More importantly, if you have even a little space to grow vegetables, kale is one of the most rewarding winter crops you can plant, particularly here in the South Island.
As leafy greens go, it is surprisingly filling and versatile. My favourite way to use it is raw in a winter salad — finely chopped, massaged with a little salt and topped with a dressing of tahini, soy sauce and lemon juice. Served with rice and a source of protein, it makes a delicious and satisfying meal, and the salad keeps very well in the fridge for a day or two without turning soggy.
I’m also more than happy to substitute kale for spinach throughout winter. There is something about that vibrant green colour that makes me feel totally virtuous, regardless of what else I have eaten that day.
Bring back kale, I say!
A kind of kale spanakopita
This isn’t a traditional spanakopita by any means, but it borrows the best bits: flaky pastry, plenty of greens and a salty, creamy filling. Kale stands in beautifully for spinach and adds a little more substance.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
400g kale, stalks removed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
200g feta, crumbled
250g ricotta or cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 tsp dried oregano
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper, to taste
8 sheets filo pastry
50g butter, melted
Sesame seeds to top
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Remove the tough stems from the kale and finely chop the leaves. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, blanch the kale for 2 minutes, then drain and cool. Squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible and roughly chop again.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
In a large bowl combine the kale, onion mixture, feta, ricotta, eggs, oregano and lemon zest. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Lay one sheet of filo on a clean bench and brush lightly with melted butter. Place a second sheet on top and brush again with butter.
Spoon a line of filling along one long edge, leaving a small border. Roll up into a long sausage shape.
Starting in the centre of a buttered 24cm round cake tin or oven proof frying pan, coil the filled roll into a spiral. Repeat with the remaining filo and filling, continuing to wrap each new roll around the previous one until a large spiral is formed.
Brush the top generously with the remaining melted butter and top with sesame seeds.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into wedges. Serve warm with a crisp green salad.
Soft kale & red lentil wraps
These soft wraps are surprisingly simple to make and are a great gluten-free (and high protein!) alternative to tortillas. Red lentils blend into a smooth batter while kale adds colour, flavour and an extra serving of greens. Fill them with hummus, roasted vegetables, tempeh, feta or leftover roast chicken for an easy lunch.
Makes about 8
Ingredients
1 cup red lentils
1-2 cups water
2 packed cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional: handful of basil leaves
Olive oil, for cooking
Method
Place the lentils in a bowl, cover with water and soak for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the lentils well. Add them to a blender with the kale, salt, a good grinding of black pepper and 1 cup fresh water. If using basil, add it now. Blend until completely smooth. The batter should be similar in consistency to pouring cream and not gritty at all. Add a little more water if needed.
Heat a lightly oiled non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Pour in about one-third of a cup of batter and quickly spread it into a thin circle using the back of a spoon.
Cook for 2-3 minutes until the surface appears mostly dry and the edges begin to lift. Carefully flip and cook for another minute or two on the second side.
Transfer to a plate (cover with a clean tea towel) and repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve warm filled with hummus, grated carrot, cucumber, avocado, sprouts or your favourite sandwich fillings.
