Boiled Kale with a Fried Egg and Toast

Adapted from The Zuni Café Cookbook

I like to use cavolo nero - also sold as Tuscan kale, lacinato kale, or dinosaur kale - for this, but you could also use curly kale. And while you could use just water for this, I prefer to make it with chicken stock, preferably homemade.

Here’s a good, quick chicken stock: take 2 pounds of chicken parts (I like legs, or a mix of legs and wings) and dump them into a large saucepan with the following: 3 sprigs of fresh thyme; 1 small carrot, cut into a few pieces; 1 celery stalk, cut into a few pieces; and half of a yellow onion. Add 2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer, and cook gently for 45 minutes, skimming away any foam that rises to the surface. Salt to taste. Strain through a colander to remove large solids; then strain again through cheesecloth. It’s ready to go.

About 8 ounces kale
5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
A pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 to 4 cups mild chicken stock, or water, or a combination of the two

To serve:
Thick slices of country bread
Eggs
Olive oil
Prosciutto, torn into bite-sized bits (optional)
Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano


First, prepare the kale: trim away any discolored spots, and then remove and discard the ribs and stems, if they are thick or woody. Stack a few leaves at a time; then slice them into ¼-inch-thick ribbons. Dump the sliced kale into a salad spinner, and add plenty of cold water. Swish the kale around to free any trapped dirt. Let stand for a minute or two – this lets the dirt fall to the bottom – and then lift the basket from the spinner. Pour out the dirty water. Replace the basket, add fresh water, and repeat. Spin dry.

In a large (4-quart) saucepan, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are translucent but still firm. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and the kale, and stir until the kale is fully wilted. Add stock to cover by about ½ inch. Bring to a simmer. Cover, and continue to simmer until the kale is tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Taste, and salt as needed. This dish needs quite a bit of salt, so don’t be shy.

To serve, toast one slice of bread per person. While still hot, lightly rub both sides of the toast with raw garlic. Place the toast in the bottom of a wide soup bowl. Now, fry some eggs – one per person, probably – in olive oil. Pile some kale onto the toast in each bowl, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, and top with a fried egg. Strew with prosciutto, if you want. Grate some cheese over the whole thing, and serve.

Yield: about 4 servings

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Soup

This silky fall/winter puree tastes rich, though there is no cream or butter in it.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

1 medium-size Yukon gold or russet potato, peeled and diced

6 cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock

Salt to taste

1. Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir together until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the squash, sweet potatoes, regular potato, and water or stock, and bring to a simmer. Add salt to taste, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until all of the ingredients are thoroughly tender.

2. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup (or you can put it through the fine blade of a food mill or use a regular blender, working in batches and placing a kitchen towel over the top to avoid splashing). Return to the pot and stir with a whisk to even out the texture. Heat through, adjust salt and add pepper to taste.

Yield: Serves 6

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently. The soup freezes well. Once thawed, whisk well to smooth out the texture, and reheat.

Butternut Squash Carrot Ginger Soup

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 pound carrots - peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or to taste
• 1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Scoop seeds out of the butternut squash half, and place cut side down onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until softened. Allow to cool, then scoop the squash flesh out of the skin using a large spoon and set aside. Discard skin.
2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, and cook, stirring until onion is translucent. Pour in the water, and add squash, carrots and ginger. Bring to a boil, and cook for at least 20 minutes, or until carrots and ginger are tender.
3. Puree the mixture in the blender, or using an immersion blender. Add boiling water if necessary to thin, but bear in mind this is meant to be a thick creamy soup. Return soup to the pan, and heat through. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon.
4. Ladle into serving bowls, and pour a thin swirl of cream over the top as a garnish if desired.

Nutritional Information Amount Per Serving Calories: 246 | Total Fat: 12.8g | Cholesterol: 20mg

Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks

A lemon and honey mixture glazes these delicious baked chicken legs. This is a quick meal to fix, and it's easy on the budget. Serve this chicken with rice, noodles, or potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or Canola oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning or a seasoned salt blend
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce

Preparation:

Wash chicken and pat dry. Toss in a food storage bag with the flour and Creole seasoning.

Melt butter with olive oil; pour into an 11x7-inch baking dish. Heat oven to 350°.

Arrange chicken in the baking dish, turning to coat with the butter mixture. Bake for 30 minutes.

In a saucepan, heat honey with brown sugar, lemon juice, and soy sauce, stirring to blend.

Pour the honey mixture over the chicken pieces and return to the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, turning the chicken pieces every 10 to 15 minutes.

Serves 4.