This Wilted Kale recipe was given to us by our friend Chef Juan Romero of Duo Bistro in Kingston, NY. They are a perfect accompaniment for his Coffee-Braised Venison Shoulder that is also listed elsewhere in the Smart Kitchen Recipe Section.

Preparation

Begin your Preparation, the 2^nd of Smart Kitchen’s 4 Levers of Cooking,™ by washing and cleaning the head of Kale as you would Clean and Prep a Head of Romaine Lettuce.

Method

Heat a large Saucepan over Medium/High Heat and Sauté the Onions and Garlic in the Grape Seed Oil until they are getting Brown. When they are just about Browned, add in the pulled Kale and the ½ C of water. Cover with the Saucepan’s lid, and keep it on the heat, opening to stir every couple of minutes, until the Kale wilts and turns a drab, army-green color. Strain the Kale and Season the Wilted Kale to taste with Salt & Pepper. Serve immediately or Hold Warm for service.

The whole Wilting  process should take about 15 minutes. If you are overcooking your Kale, an alternative to try instead is to turn down the heat to Medium Heat as you add in the ½ cup of water. The reduced heat should give you a little bit more time to monitor the wilting of the Kale. As you get the hang of it, you can increase the temperature the next time.

The Wilted Kale goes very well with Chef Juan Romero’s Coffee-Braised Venison Shoulder.