Kale Panini Recipes

KALE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pan.
• Add chopped onions and garlic.
• Sauté until onions are clear and begin to caramelize. Stir often. Do not allow garlic to burn.
• Add torn kale.
• Toss with onions and garlic.
• Cook until kale is wilted.
• Sprinkle with a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar if desired.
• (Thanks reviewers for reminding me of removing the stems!).

KALE PANINI

Steps:

• Working in batches, blanch the kale in boiling salted water for 3 minutes, until tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer each batch to a colander. When all the kale is cooked, let it cool and then squeeze with your hands to remove the excess moisture. Cut the kale into 1/2-inch-wide strips and put them in a bowl.
• Preheat a panini press, or heat a large cast-iron skillet over low heat and have another pan of the same size ready to weight down the sandwiches.
• Right before you are ready to assemble the sandwiches, season the kale with salt. Add the oil and toss well. Finish with the vinegar.
• Lay out 4 slices of the bread and top them with equal parts kale and cheese; add chiles to taste. Season with salt and pepper, and top with the other slices of bread.
• Lightly oil the panini press and follow the manufacturer's instructions for grilling the sandwiches. (If using a pan on the stovetop, raise the heat to medium, lightly oil it, and add as many sandwiches as can comfortably fit. Place the other heavy pan on top to press the sandwiches; if the pan is relatively light, add some weight to it, such as a large can or a full tea kettle. Rotating the pan on the burner frequently, cook the sandwiches for about 5 minutes, until deep golden brown. Transfer the sandwiches to a plate, re-oil the pan, and return the sandwiches to the pan, browned side up, to cook the other side, about 3 minutes.)