honeyed/lime kale with ground turkey

This series displays my relaxed creations with greens.  A close friend from my church blesses me with an abundance of fresh produce from her organic garden; I am wowed by its bountiful beauty.  She grows several species of kale; thus, I am always creating new recipes incorporating this health-giving vegetable.

Here I spell out detailed steps of preparation for cooking this green.  It’s easy to follow these directions.  Vibrant health results!

My recent series of posts on 19^th century French foods defines Classic French Cuisine (see Chicken a la Oignon, 2016/07/04, Carrots au Beurre, 2016/07/11 and Meringues a la Ude, 2016/07/18).  These posts expound on that culinary period following the French Revolution in 1775.  The main cooking procedure in my kale series is sautéing, which originated during this culinary age.

Cooking methods changed at the end of the 18th century, as Esther B. Aresty described in The Delectable Past: fireplaces gave way to ranges with built-in ovens; French cooks quickly invented the sauté pan.  The word sauté means to jump-when the fat “jumps” in the pan it is ready for cooking. 1

Here I give instructions for employing this cooking method properly.  First heat the oil; then, add a small piece of food.  It is time to begin sautéing, when it sizzles or “jumps” in the pan.  This allows swift frying of food for optimum preservation of nutrients, as it inhibits the overcooking of vegetables and meats.

The following, easy recipe brings proficiency with cooking nutritious kale.  Next week I will share a shortcut, where this procedure is simplified even further, with prepared sauces and/or meats.

I pray this dish brings the same pleasure to you as it does me.  To our health!

1. Esther B. Aresty, The Delectable Past (New York: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1964), p. 126-127.
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saut%C3%A9ing

optional food processor assembled with straight-edged, chopping attachment

Honeyed/Lime Kale with Beef or Turkey  Yields: 4-6 servings.  Prep time: 1 1/4 hours.

2 tbsp oil  (Coconut oil is best here for quality and flavor; olive oil is carcinogenic, when heated to high temperatures.)

1 med yellow onion, halved at root, and cut in even 1/8 inch slices

1 lb ground turkey or beef  (Natural is best; Foster Farms’ natural ground turkey is inexpensive.)

Generous amounts of salt and pepper  (Himalayan, pink, or Real Salt is critical for optimum health; an inexpensive fine grind Himalayan salt is available at Costco.)

1-1  1/2 lbs of fresh kale  (Organic is best.)

4 carrots, thinly sliced at a diagonal  (Organic carrots are very inexpensive.)

Juice of 2 limes

2 tbsp honey

avocado, cut in thick slices

1. 

   beginning stages of caramelization

   Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a frying pan over medium heat, until a small piece of onion sizzles in pan; lower heat to med/low; add the rest of onions and caramelize-cook until dark brown.  Stir every two minutes, until color starts to form (see photo); then, stir every minute until dark brown.  Be sure to watch carefully, while going to next steps.

2. Place 2 teaspoon oil in large saute pan, over medium temperature; test for readiness by putting a small piece of meat in hot oil; the temperature is right when it sizzles or “jumps”.  Add rest of turkey; salt and pepper heavily, before browning.  Set aside in a  bowl when cooked; save pan for cooking vegetables.
3. Meantime spray carrots and kale with produce spray (a mixture of 97% distilled white vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide is a safe, cheap, and effective cleaning solution).  Let sit three minutes; rinse well in a sink full of water three times.
4. May cut stems out of wet kale and chop into small bite-size pieces by hand-this is time-consuming.  Better yet prepare it with a food processor by using the straight-edged, chopping attachment.  (This is the large, round disk that fits onto the provided “stem”; place this tall, assembled cutting disk in the food processor where you normally put the smaller blade; see photo at top of recipe.)  If using a food processor, it is not necessary to cut stems out, but be sure to carefully pick out pieces of stems, after processing.  Set aside chopped kale.
5. 

   caramelized onions at mid-point

   Scrape cleaned carrots with a sharp knife (this preserves the vitamins just under the skin); slice carrots thinly at a diagonal; set aside.

6. Heat lime juice and honey in a small saucepan, just until blended, set aside.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the large saute pan; when a piece of carrot sizzles in hot oil, add carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add 1/2 the kale, distributing the oils well and checking again for any pieces of stem left from processing.  Cover pan and cook kale down; repeat this step with remaining kale, when there is room.  Cook covered for 10 minutes, or until kale is totally limp, stirring occasionally.
9. When onion is caramelized, mix this and meat into cooked kale; blend in the honeyed/lime juice; adjust seasonings.
10. Enjoy topped with fresh avocado slices.