Kale, Red Russian

Red Russian kale has vibrant magenta veins and green foliage. A wonderful, healthful, and cold-hardy crop, kale will be in your share frequently in the early summer and again in the fall.

Cooking Tips

Although kale can be eaten raw, the mature leaves are more easily digestible when cooked. The stems can be used as well as the green foliage if you enjoy a bit of crunch, or remove the stems with a knife if you prefer. Probably the quickest and easiest way to enjoy kale is to either steam it for a few minutes, or toss it in a pan to sauté with some olive oil. Kale by itself, or with a little onion or garlic, makes a great side dish. Careful not to overcook it; the greens should become a little soft and slightly darker in color, but not soggy or mushy. There are lots of great recipes calling for kale, in casseroles, omelets, stir-fries, and more.

Storage Tips

Store kale in a plastic bag in your refrigerator where it will remain moist. If it is not allowed to dry out, kale should keep for about a week. If you are looking to preserve it for a longer period of time you can try blanching and freezing it.

Nutrition

Kale is high in a very long list of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It is higher in protein than any other vegetable, with large amounts of fiber, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, iron, magnesium, vitamins A, C, and B6, calcium, potassium, and copper.

History

Kale, like so many other delicious crops in the Brassica family, is native to the Mediterranean. It was cultivated by the ancient Romans, and is to some extent the ancestor of many other plants in the cabbage family, like collards, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Its popularity quickly spread across Europe, where it was prized for its cold hardiness, and soon spread as far as the British Isles and Russia. It has remained popular in Europe to this day, and is known to a much greater extent there than here in the United States.

Field Notes

We grow two plantings of kale, one planted out in the spring for summer harvest, and the second planted in the summer to be harvested throughout the fall. Look for three different varieties of kale in your share; Lacinato, Winterbor, and Red Russian kale has magenta veins and green foliage.