Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Apartment cuisine: Boiled kale over rice



Not the most appetizing looking thing ever but it was exactly what I was looking for tonight: green, easy to make, and used up some leftover rice. I sauteed some onions and kale before adding some broth, let the whole thing simmer for a bit to soften the kale, put it over rice along with a fried egg. *edit* As per a reader's request (wait, I have readers??), I'm putting a rough recipe of this after the jump.



I like boiled kale because it's tender but still retains a nice texture. It's my vegetable of choice to put in soups. This dish allows me to recreate that texture without actually making a soup. Plus, the mild flavor of the kale pairs really well with the slight sweetness of the sauteed onion. And the egg on top is a simple way to make dinner a little heartier.

Boiled Kale
Adapted from Orangette

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion
2 large leaves of kale
1 cup chicken/vegetable broth
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 egg
Cooked rice or a thick and hearty slice of bread

Wash the kale thoroughly by swishing the leaves around in a large bowl/sink of water several times until you're sure nothing is trapped in those tricky crevices of the leaves. Cut away the stems and discolored parts of the leaves and roughly chop or tear the leaves to bite-size pieces. Dice the onion and slice the garlic, if using.

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Add onions and saute over medium heat until translucent (~5min). Add garlic and cook for 1 min. Add kale, cook until mostly bright green, and add broth. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until kale is tender (~10min).

Fry the egg (over easy is my preference). Transfer the kale over rice or bread, leaving most of the cooking liquid behind in the pot, and serve with the fried egg on top. Serves 1.

2 comments:

Bethanne said...

I love egg in non-breakfast dishes. Yum! I think I will definitely be stealing (er, borrowing and citing?) some of your apartment cooking ideas.

Christian Hougen said...

Integrating leftovers into such a harmonious combo... and the presentation--natural and appealing. These ingredients were lucky to find themselves in the hands of a gifted cook who could realize their potential!

...Did you go for chopsticks or a fork? :-{)