How to prepare Turnip Greens and/or Kale

[CWFirstLady]

I am trying to get information on how to prepare turnip greens and Kale. Anyone know???

[TPeers]

Pick over your kale or turnip greens to remove obvious insects etc.. wash well and shake off excess.

Personally I then pull the leaf from the rib, as the rib tends to be fiberous.

Shred larger leaves, little baby ones you can leave whole.

Cook as for cabbage, 2-3 mins in boiling water.

Serve in your favourite manner, I like butter and pepper.

The greens will also stirfry very well and if you wilt whole leaves you can use them like vine leaves and stuff them with flavourd mince and bake or poach them.

Enjoy

[Nicos]

I prepare in the same way but steam them instead.
Watch out for hidden slugs in the curley Kale though!!!

[Two_Sheds]

Grow Black Kale (Cavolo de Nero etc) which are straighter leaved...slugs can't hide so well as in curly kale.

[trousers]

hi cw first lady to kill any little blighters soak the kale in water and a good splash of vinegar.then strain and rinse.

[Nicos]

Out of interest( 'scuse a slight change of thread here!! ) ....
Is there much of a difference in flavour between curly kale and 'straight' kale??
Only grown curly and all the family like it ( must be a first!!! )
Wouldn't like to upset the apple cart..so to speak!!
Back to the thread.... if it's much the same then I'd rather not have the challenge of slug spotting!!!

[rustylady]

Do you mean prepare for growing or for cooking? If for cooking, pick young and tender, steam or boil for a few minutes and serve with butter and pepper

[Alice]

Or put a good spoonful of the cooked kale in a soup bowl, and serve the soup over it.

[TPeers]

Hi Nicos, from personal experience YES! Curly kale is to my view softer, less fiberous and has a slightly milder flavour when picked young. It is also much more prone to slugs, snails and whitefly! An absolute B** to wash! 'flat' kale is a slightly stronger taste, but kinder in the kitchen, I soak the leaves in a strong salt wash for an hour or more to kill off the bugs before careful inspection of each crevace of each leaf - takes hours!

One of the few times when the thought of pesticides keeping the crop 'clean' is not offputting!