I’ll be honest: I’ve never cooked kale. I am embarrassingly unadventurous about my leafy greens, and not for any particular reason. Salad and spinach, and that’s about it. The funny part is that I do love greens, and I’ll order them at a restaurant. I just don’t cook with them. And there you have it.
However, all that changed today. This morning James and I were chatting with our friend and Abingdon Square Greenmarket Manager Craig Willingham, and he gave us this awesome recipe for kale chips. I’ve never met a chip I didn’t like (except for the fruity chutney ones in Africa, but that’s another story). And so I was inspired to give this recipe a whirl.
We raced back to Bhoditree Farms, but they were all sold out of kale. So we wandered over to the Manhattan Fruit Exchange at the Chelsea Market. We picked up a big, deep green bunch of kale and brought it home. I immediately washed the firm leaves and set about making these chips. Let me tell you, they were delicious! The texture is very delicate, and the flavor incredibly robust.
They’re great as a healthy, light, satisfying snack. I’m sure they’d also be a beautiful and delicious accompaniment to soups and salads too. Here’s how to make them:
Kale Chips
1 large bunch of kale
1 Tbs. of olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste.
Heat oven to 350°F. Wash kale thoroughly and pat dry. Tear the big leaves into chip-sized pieces, about 2″ x 2″. Toss in a large bowl with olive oil until leaves are thoroughly coated, gleaming but not soaked. Sprinkle salt and pepper and continue to mix. Spread chips on a baking sheet, preferably with a Silpat. They can overlap, but it should be a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp. Remove from oven and eat up!
Enjoy!