Ok … it’s time for some active audience participation. Let’s play a game called “What am I?” However, this time, the game has a twist … because I don’t know the answer.
In this past week’s CSA share (#4 for those who are counting), this veggie showed up. What is it? I know what it tastes like because I took a bite of a leaf. The answer might astound you: it tasted green and leafy. Go figure, huh?
Unforunately, Waratah Downs Farm didn’t provide a list this week. Perhaps they thought it all pretty obvious. I don’t know … really, I DON’T KNOW.
(Yes, I said it for those who thought those words would never come out of my mouth).
So tell me … tell us all. Take your best guess. What am I?
Dinosaur kale! We love it. Today I put it in green smoothies and sliced it up to saute it with onions, lentils and rice.
Thank you Tammy. I think you win the prize. The leaves are very very similar in shape, texture, and size as collard greens, but the purplish and ‘flat’ colour of the leaves is a perfect match for “Lacinato Kale” aka “Dinosaur Kale.” Thank you so much for the answer.
According to the Wikipedia entry on Lacinato Kale, this kale is also known as black cabbage, Tuscan Cabbage, Tuscan Kale, and dinosaur Kale and it has a long tradition in Italian cooking. That’s enough to inspire what I’m going to do with it. This should be fun. 🙂
The research also afforded me the chance to learn the difference between Collards and Kale. Apparently they’re both are in the brassica (i.e. cabbage) family and both are members of the same cultivar (“headless cabbage”) which explains the similarity in their leaves. However, while Collards are higher in fibre, apparently Kale has 50% more protein, 16 times more iron, and 3 times the vitamins A, C, and even K. I guess that is why it is truly a “super food.”
Collard?
beet greens
Possible but don’t think so unless they come from a different kind of beet than your typical beet green. The greens here are quite thick and almost leathery.
Kale
I thought kale too. But it isn’t the kale I’ve been receiving or that which I’ve bought before which has the curly, serrated, or scalloped edges. Is this mature kale or a different variety?