Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/110595
PREPARED FOOD FOCUS All Hail Kale This powerhouse green can be transformed into a soup, a fresh salad or even crispy parmesan chips. BY JOANNA PRUESS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK FERRI; FOOD STYLED BY LESLIE ORLANDINI; PROPS STYLED BY FRAN MATALON-DEGNI K ale is the vegetable darling du jour. The dark green—loaded with vitamins like A, B6, C and K, not to mention calcium, iron, folate and fiber—has been featured on virtually every nutrition website lately. Among the numerous varieties of edible kale, the most common are sweet, mild curly kale and lacinato (also called Tuscan or dinosaur) kale with long, wrinkled leaves. The two are easily interchangeable in recipes. To avoid the bitterness sometimes associated with the greens, buy young kale and use it as quickly as possible. Even if you aren't going to use it right away, it's best to remove the stems soon after you buy it for the same reason. Kale Salad with Beets, Radishes, Carrots and Lime Vinaigrette • Coconut-KaleChickpea Soup • Crispy Kale and Parmesan Chips Kale Salad with Beets, Radishes, Carrots and Lime Vinaigrette Yield: 4 (5½ ounce) portions • Preparation time: about 1 hour • Shelf life: less than a day; best if dressed as served Inspired by a dish at Battersby restaurant in Brooklyn, N.Y., this salad brings together several textures and colors. The Asian-inspired vinaigrette adds zing and a fresh twist. Cut large leaves for baking into 4-inch lengths. NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS BY LAUREN BRAUN, NUTRITIONAL LIFESTYLE DESIGNS, MIAMI, FL For the vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons firmly packed palm or light brown sugar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice 3 tablespoons nam pla or nuoc mam fish sauce 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic 2 tablespoons roasted hazelnut or pistachio oil ½ red bird's eye chile, seeded and thinly sliced For the salad: 4 ounces stemmed small curly or lacinato kale leaves for baking, plus 1 ounce very thinly sliced leaves for the salad 2 tablespoons vegetable oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1¼ ounces mixed cilantro, mint and Thai basil leaves, torn or coarsely chopped 1 ounce baby arugula leaves 12 ounces mixed beets, carrots, cucumbers and radishes, very thinly sliced 1 ounce lightly toasted hazelnuts or shelled pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped 1. Heat the oven to 275 F. 2. Prepare the vinaigrette: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water, and microwave on high until melted. Set aside to cool, then whisk in the Dijon mustard, lime juice, fish sauce and garlic. Beat in the hazelnut or pistachio oil, add the chile and refrigerate. 3. Combine the 4 ounces of kale leaves with the vegetable oil, rubbing the leaves to cover. Spread in even layers on one or two baking pans, season lightly with salt and pepper and bake until the leaves are crisp, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom halfway through. Remove the leaves to a baking rack to cool. 4. In a large bowl, toss the remaining kale leaves, herbs and arugula with one-third of the vinaigrette. Add the beets, carrots, cucumbers and radishes along with the baked kale leaves and about half of the remaining dressing, tossing gently. Add more dressing as needed. Sprinkle on the nuts and serve. NUTRITIONAL DATA (per 5½-ounce portion): Calories: 220; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 95 mg; Fat: 16 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g MARCH 2013 49