Wilted Kale With Cranberry Beans And Delicata Squash Recipes

DELICATA SQUASH SALAD WITH KALE AND CRANBERRY BEANS

Steps:

• 1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squashes into 1/2-inch-thick semicircles. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil, and spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until just tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Mix together balsamic vinegar and honey. Brush some of the mixture onto squash slices; reserve remaining mixture. Bake for 5 minutes more.
• 2.Meanwhile, place kale in a large bowl. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and garlic, and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add red-wine vinegar and remaining vinegar-honey mixture to saucepan, and bring to a boil. Immediately pour hot dressing over kale, and sprinkle with salt. Season with pepper. Add squash and beans. Cover with plastic, and let stand for 5 minutes. Toss until kale wilts slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

WILTED KALE WITH CRANBERRY BEANS AND DELICATA SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Toss with 1 teaspoon oil, and spread evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until just tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Mix honey and balsamic vinegar. Brush some of the mixture onto squash slices (reserve remaining mixture). Roast 5 minutes more.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium. Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add red-wine vinegar and remaining honey mixture to pan, and bring to a boil. Add kale to pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Add squash and beans. Cover skillet, and let stand 5 minutes, then toss until kale wilts slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cooking Dried Beans
• Dried beans tend to be much more flavorful and have a firmer texture than canned. Soaking the beans first will shorten their cooking time. Dried beans double in volume once cooked; 1 cup dried beans yields 2 cups cooked. Cooked beans will keep for up to one year in an airtight container in the freezer. They can be incorporated into salsas, dips, soups, salads, and any other dishes that call for canned beans.
• To soak beans: Sort the beans, discarding any debris, and rinse. Place in a large bowl, and cover with double the amount of water. Cover bowl, and let beans soak overnight. (Alternately, use the quick-soak method: Combine beans in a large pot with double the amount of water. Bring to a boil, and cook 3 minutes. Cover, and let soak 1 hour.)
• To cook beans: Transfer beans and soaking liquid to a heavy pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, until tender, 1 to 2 hours (3 to 4 hours for unsoaked beans). Drain and let cool before storing.
• Nutrition Information
• (Per Serving)
• Calories: 279
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Carbohydrates: 57g
• Protein: 6g
• Sodium: 642mg
• Fiber: 8g

KALE

Steps:

• HEALTH BENEFITS
• Considered a "nonheading" cabbage (because its central leaves don't form a ball), this vegetable comes in a number of varieties, including the tightly curled Scotch Vates and the red- to purple-veined Red Russian. The latter is sweet enough to eat raw, as is Tuscan or Lacinato kale. Like fellow members of the Brassica family, including broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi, kale is nutrient dense. The low-calorie green provides an excellent source of vitamins A (as beta-carotene), B6, and C, along with a decent amount of fiber, iron, and calcium. In fact, our bodies can better absorb the calcium in kale than in spinach, as its leaves contain less oxalic acid, a substance that can disrupt the nutrient's absorption. Kale's vitamin K, essential for proper blood clotting, far surpasses that of broccoli, spinach, and Swiss chard. Perhaps most impressive, this versatile green contains especially high amounts of the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin, two powerful phytochemicals that may help safeguard the eyes from macular degeneration and cataracts.
• HOW TO BUY
• Look for deeply colored, crisp-textured leaves free of blemishes or yellow spots. Avoid bunches that appear wilted or limp.
• HOW TO STORE
• Kale stored loosely in a plastic bag should last for two to three days in the refrigerator.
• PREPARATION TIP
• Strip the leaves of extra-thick or woody stems with a paring knife. (Compost or discard the stems.) For easy cutting, stack the leaves, roll them, and cut crosswise into thin ribbons. Braising or sautéing kale works well, but don't boil it; you will lose some vital nutrients.
• DID YOU KNOW?
• While kale has fans all around the world, the Scottish seem particularly partial to the vegetable. In Scotland, the word kail once referred not only to the greens but also to food in general, because it factored into most meals.
• Recipes
• Egg, Kale, and Ricotta on Toast p.82
• Autumn Greens Soup p.140
• Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad p.170
• Wilted Kale with Cranberry Beans and Delicata Squash p.202
• Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing p.310