Saturday, October 17, 2009

Crispy Kale Snack

Even as I glean every last bit of kale from the garden and crisping them in the oven, Walpole is a colorful blaze, a perfect picture of fall in New England.

View from March Hill Road, Walpole, NH. Photo by Amy.



Red Russian Kale, the only kind I grow, is delicate and hardy

Kale and Swiss chard rule the garden at this time of year and as I'm staring down a huge basket of kale, taking up half my kitchen, I get an email from Maggie telling me about her new way with kale. The idea is simple, toss fresh kale with olive oil, spread them out in a single layer on a large cookie sheet and roast in 350 degree oven until crispy but still green. Maggie's directions were to

"toss torn 3-inch size pieces with oil. Bake 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until crisp and crunchy."

My Red Russian only needed 10 minutes and stirring was not necessary. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt, pepper and/or freshly grated Parmesan. Serve immediately, these are so easy to make, fun to eat and criminally addictive.

Crispy Kale Snack


Cook's tips:
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper to prevent kale from sticking.
- Don't let the kale get brown, at that point it can get bitter.