# Kale to the Chief! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621 "2009-10-21T16:12:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/1 "2009-10-21T16:12:59Z")
I bought a bunch of curly kale for the soup I made last weekend. I still have a ‘bunch’ left. The only other time I use kale is when I’m making colcannon, and I really don’t feel like having potatoes for a while. So what do I do with the rest of the kale? I could just boil it in water and salt, put it in zip-top bags, and store it in the freezer until I need it. I could boil it with a ham hock or bacon, put it in zip-top bags, and store it in the freezer until I need it. No ‘chiefs’ in this thread. The title was just whimsy. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/2 "2009-10-21T16:17:43Z")
I just knew this had to do with yesterday’s NFL trade deadline. ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/3 "2009-10-21T16:20:18Z")
Well, if you’re not in the mood for potatoes you might not enjoy it, but my husband makes a delicious (and ridiculously simple) dish of balsamic glazed kale & potatoes. He cuts up potatoes into approx. 1" cubes (red or russet works fine), roasts them for a bit with some sea salt, then sautes the kale for a couple of minutes until it gets soft, adds the potatoes to the saute pan, drizzles a nice balsamic over it all, and sautes for another couple of minutes to let the balsamic reduce a bit. Very little active time, and a nicely elegant side dish. For a snack, I also like to steam a bit of kale in the microwave (a lidded, vented bowl with a bit of water will do it in about 30 seconds) and mix it up with some [alouette cheese](http://www.alouettecheese.com/) or other sort of creamy, spreadable cheese. I eat that with chips or carrots. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/4 "2009-10-21T17:00:13Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I just knew this had to do with yesterday’s NFL trade deadline. Ha! Completely inadvertent. What are the odds? ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/5 "2009-10-21T17:10:02Z")
I use kale in my zuppa toscana (like the soup at Olive Garden but better) Brian ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/6 "2009-10-21T17:23:26Z")
I love this recipe. [Jacques Pepin’s Crunchy Kale.](http://newsmomsneed.marchofdimes.com/?p=2438) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/7 "2009-10-21T17:42:26Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I use kale in my zuppa toscana (like the soup at Olive Garden but better) I haven’t been to an Olive Garden in years and years. Is that the creamy soup with the sausage in it? If so, I’d love the recipe. ---
**Author:** ![spoike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@spoike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spoike)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/8 "2009-10-21T21:34:17Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > I love this recipe. [Jacques Pepin’s Crunchy Kale.](http://newsmomsneed.marchofdimes.com/?p=2438) That’s what I was coming in to post, or a variation of it, anyway. I have a bunch of kale sitting in my fridge that I bought specifically to use to make this. It’s unbelievably awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/9 "2009-11-02T00:37:52Z")
Not bad. 250 and 20 didn’t make it crunchy enough, so I upped the heat and time. I’ll remember this one. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kale-to-the-chief/514621/10 "2009-11-02T03:17:35Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I haven’t been to an Olive Garden in years and years. Is that the creamy soup with the sausage in it? If so, I’d love the recipe. Yes, thats the soup. Recipe follows: 1 lb ground pork 2 cups (1 large) onion, chopped (1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces) 4 slices bacon (I prefer thick cut) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (cayenne works also) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon oregano 6 cups chicken broth \* 4 small red potatoes 1/4 cubes skin on \*\* 2 cups greens \*\*\* 1 cup whipping cream In a bowl: Mix pork and spices – cover and refrigerate overnight 1)In your soup pot , cook up the bacon (I cut it up into 1/4 squares before), then remove bacon 2)Cook pork and onion in bacon drippings untill meat is brown and onion is tender (8-10 minutes) 3)Drain off fat, add broth, bring to boil 4)Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes 5)Add potatoes and greens, return to boil and cook covered 15-20 min (until spuds are done) 6)Add bacon and cream 7)Stir and serve - You can stretch the # of servings by having more broth – I have used 8 cups \*\* or more, can’t have too many potatoes (think I use 6 B sized spuds) \*\*\* my recipe says spinach, but I prefer kale I chop said greens up in 1/4 inch sqaures (lots of those in this recipe) Brian