Every year, some vegetable or another seems to become the hot item at trendy restaurants around the United States. Recently, kale got to be very popular, which made my family feel like trendsetters, because Italian-Americans have been eating it for generations. If you’ve never eaten kale, it’s pleasantly toothsome, with a lightly peppery flavor that gets along great with strong flavors like the garlic and red-wine vinegar in this recipe. The almonds add crunch, but you can leave them out and this will still be delicious. In addition to your holiday turkey, you can serve kale with roasted chicken, beef, or pork.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3 large bunches curly kale, stems removed and discarded, leaves washed and roughly torn or chopped
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup red-wine vinegar
- â…“ cup slivered almonds or pignoli nuts, toasted if desired
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot set over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is softened and very lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the kale and toss to coat with the oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Pour in the vinegar, toss well with tongs, and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cover and let cook, lifting the lid to toss occasionally, until the kale is wilted, 6 to 8 minutes. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Transfer the kale to a serving plate or platter, and top with the almonds, if desired. Serve warm.
