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Kale & Corn: A Great Summer Duo BY DANA JACOBI FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH

My mother served steamed kale drizzled with melted butter. Kale can taste bitter, but the sweetness of the butter she used effectively offset it, so I grew up enjoying this incredibly healthy vegetable. These days, using butter so lavishly is out, so I have experimented to find other ways to make eating kale enjoyable. Serving tender, sweet kale, I find, depends on both what kind of kale you get and how you prepare it.

There are many kinds of kale, and some start out more tender and milder-tasting than others. Curley kale, which has broad, dark green tough leaves with a lavishly ruffled edge, is most common. Many supermarkets also carry dinosaur or dino kale, which has a black-green color and long, straight leaves. Its name comes from the wrinkly, reptile-skin surface of its leaves. Lacinato is another common name for this kale, which is also called black kale, Tuscan kale and cavolo nero. Farmers’ markets often have feathery, soft-leafed Russian kale, which comes in green and red varieties. Because it is the most tender and has the mildest taste, Russian kale is the perfect choice for introducing this dark leafy green to your family.

Heat wilts kale, so pick perky bunches with good color. Avoid leaves that are yellow, limp, or dull in color.
All kale has a tough central rib that tastes bitter, so removing most of it is important. One way is to lay each leaf on a cutting board and, holding a sharp knife at a low angle, run it along each side of the stem, which you can then lift away.

Cooking kale until tender also makes it sweet. I usually steam or boil it, then sauté or braise it in broth until it is meltingly tender. Kale and sweet corn are a delicious combination. Try it in this recipe, taken from The New American Plate Cookbook.

Kale with Sweet Corn - Makes 4 servings
Adapted from The New American Plate Cookbook

• 1 large ear fresh corn, husked, or 3/4 cup defrosted frozen corn or canned drained corn
• 3/4 lb. curly green kale, tough stems removed
• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely-chopped Vidalia or other
• 2 scallions, green and white parts, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• sweet onion

If using fresh corn, place it in boiling water and boil until the kernels are tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. When cool enough to handle, stand the ear with its broad end down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, slice down the ear to cut off kernels. Rotate the ear and repeat until all the kernels are cut off. Gather up the cut kernels and set aside, or refrigerate in a closed container for up to 24 hours.

In a large pot, bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Add the kale, cover tightly and reduce the heat to medium. Steam until the kale is tender, about 12 minutes. Drain it in a colander. When the kale is cool enough to handle, squeeze handfuls of it to remove excess water. Cut the kale crosswise into strips. Cut the strips crosswise, chopping the kale. Set the kale aside, or refrigerate in a closed container for up to 24 hours.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and scallions until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the kale, corn and broth. Reduce the heat to low, and cook until the corn and kale are heated through, stirring often (about 3 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Per serving: 104 calories, 3 g. total fat (less than 1 g. saturated fat), 18 g. carbohydrate, 14 g. protein, 3 g.
dietary fiber, 80 mg. sodium.

ARTICLE POSTED AUGUST 21, 2006

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