Slow Cooked Kale Recipes

SAUTEED KALE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but not colored. Raise heat to high, add the stock and kale and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add vinegar.

KALE WITH BACON

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring 1 in. of water to a boil. Add kale; cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 teaspoon drippings. In the drippings, saute onions and garlic until onion is tender. , Drain the kale; stir into onion mixture. Add the salt, pepper and reserved bacon; heat through.

CHICKEN AND KALE STEW (CROCK POT, PALEO)

Steps:

• Wash the chicken and cut into bite-size pieces. Place into the pot of a slow cooker.
• On top of the chicken add the diced onion, cubed carrots, cubed sweet potato, garlic, chicken broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and bay leaves. Stir to mix everything together. Turn the slow cooker on.
• high heat for 3 to 4 hours, or until the carrots and sweet potato are tender.
• Add the kale and stir to combine; cook for 1 hour more. Taste the stew and season with sea salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaves, and serve.
• If you don't like your chicken chunky, you can add the chicken breasts whole and shred the chicken at the end of cooking by using a fork or the back of a spoon.

SLOW-COOKED TUSCAN KALE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rapid boil over high heat. Working in 2 batches, blanch kale for 2 minutes. Drain, let cool, and squeeze out excess water with your hands. Coarsely chop; set aside.
• Heat a large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add 1/4 cup oil, rosemary sprig, and chile. Let sizzle, shaking pan often, for about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onion. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often; stir in garlic. Cook, stirring often, until onion is soft and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and kale; stir to coat. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring often, until kale turns almost black and is slightly crisp at edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Discard rosemary and chile.

SLOW-COOKED CHICKEN STEW WITH KALE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken skin in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dark golden brown and crisp all the way through, 12-18 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Combine chicken skin, garlic, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
• Combine lemon, olive oil, and sugar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let sit at least 10 minutes, mixing once or twice.
• Season chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, until brown and crisp, 7-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl.
• Increase heat to medium-high. Working in 2 batches if needed, cook chicken thighs, skin side down, in the same pot until skin is golden brown, 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate and turn skin side up. Remove pot from heat. Let chicken cool slightly, then pull skin from meat and transfer to a shallow bowl; cover and chill (save for making the gremolata).
• Return pot to medium heat and cook shallots and garlic, cut side down, in the same pot, tossing shallots occasionally, until shallots are browned in spots and garlic is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add wine, stirring to release any bits stuck on the bottom of pot, and cook until reduced by two-thirds, about 2 minutes. Add parsley, bay leaves, reserved bacon, and 8 cups water, season generously with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Return chicken thighs to pot and bring stew back up to a simmer. Cover with a lid, leaving slightly askew so steam can escape, and cook, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and skimming foam from surface as needed, until meat is tender and easily pulls away from bones, 1-1 1/2 hours.
• Transfer thighs to a cutting board and let cool 10-15 minutes; keep liquid at a simmer. Pull meat from bones and tear into bite-size pieces. Add bones back to pot as you go. Transfer meat to a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Add kale and simmer until kale is tender and liquid is very flavorful, 25-30 minutes.
• Remove stew from heat, add meat back to pot, and let cool uncovered (bones and all) until no longer steaming. Cover pot and chill stew at least 12 hours (you can skip this step, but it will dramatically improve the flavor).
• Uncover stew and spoon off half to three-quarters of fat on the surface; discard. Gently reheat stew until barely simmering. Pluck out and discard bones, parsley, and bay leaves. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle stew into bowls and top as desired.
• Lemon oil can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using. Stew can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

SLOW COOKER HAM SOUP WITH KALE

Steps:

• In a slow cooker, combine the hambone, water, half yellow onion, celery, carrot, parsley, and peppercorns.
• Cook on high heat for 1 to 2 hours.
• Afterwards, strain through a fine mesh strainer, making sure to reserve the broth.
• Discard the onion, celery, carrot, ham bone, and peppercorns.
• Return the broth to the slow cooker and set aside.
• For the soup, in a large saute pan or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil.
• Add the onion and carrot and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
• Transfer the sauteed vegetables to the slow cooker.
• Add the potatoes, thyme, and ham.
• Cover with the lid and cook on low for 3 to 5 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Meanwhile, whisk the flour and the cream together.
• After the veggies become tender, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and flour mixture.
• Stir in the kale, salt, and pepper to taste, and cayenne pepper.
• If the slow cooker insert is stovetop safe, transfer it to the stove and bring the soup to a boil, stirring periodically, until it thickens slightly.
• Alternatively, if the insert is not stovetop safe, you can transfer the soup to a stock pot to bring it to a boil. and serve.