Kale, Kale, Kale

In a comment to our post of January 21 of this year, our good friend Lévana Kirschenbaum suggested that we discuss the different types of kale available on the American market. While it’s more easily found in autumn and winter, you can still find it even now.

The most commonly found is the Curly Kale sometimes known as Scottish Kale…

Kale, Curly Kale, or Scottish Kale

For a delightful vegetarian recipe made with this version of kale and a meat variation of it check out our Caldo Verde.

Another fairly common variety is Russian or Red Kale…

Russian or Red Kale

Red or Russian Kale has a softer texture, is slightly sweeter than Curly Kale and has a somewhat buttery taste. When used together with the more common variety it produces a nice color combination while adding a subtle sweetness to the dish.

For tomorrow’s breakfast I will use Red Kale to make this delicious sounding recipe which I just found (on Kalyn’s Kitchen…

Photo from: Kalyn’s Kitchen

The most delicious kind of kale, however is Tuscan Kale or Cavalo Nero…

Tuscan Kale or Cavalo Nero

Used mostly in Tuscan dishes, it’s hard to go back to any other kind of kale after savoring this tender and nicely flavored variety.

Kale is descended from the wild cabbages of southern Europe. It thrives in cold weather but grows successfully all over the world. The addition of some baby kale juice will spruce up any raw carrot juice drink. Kale is an excellent source of beta carotene and vitamin C; it is a good source of folate, calcium iron and potassium; it contains bioflavonoids and other substances that protect against cancer. It’s only known drawback is that it may produce gas in some people.

When you make a salad, a soup, a fritata, don’t forget to use kale for a superbly delicious and healthy addition.

CS

Chard, Mushrooms and Swiss Cheese Fritatta

Swiss chard is one of the most popular Mediterranean vegetables, while every vegetable has its own unique qualities, this one is rich in antioxidants and more. It is considered one of the most nutritious vegetables around, second only to spinach. Having said that, let’s face it we all remember the healthy food that tasted horrible, the foods that mom had to preface with: “Eat it, it’s good for you!” Well, surprise, surprise, Swiss chard actually enhances the flavor of any dish it’s used in!

This morning, for breakfast, I made frittata from a recipe I found in Sara Jay‘s Knives Cooks Love:

knives cooks Love, detail from photo on page 130

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound Swiss chard
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1/2 cup cup minced shallots
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 2/3 cups (5 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. trim the stems from the chard leaves. discard the stems. immerse the leaves in water to rid them of grit. Lift them out and drain. Crop the leaves coarsely.
3. Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a 10 inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle lightly with salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden brown, for 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the shallots, and cook until the shallots are softened but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add the chard a few handfuls at a time and cook, tossing with tongs, until soft and wilted, about 4 minutes.’ Add 1/4 spoon of the salt and continue cooking and tossing until all the liquid in the pan evaporates, about 3 more minutes. Turn off the heat.
4. Whisk the eggs, half and half, mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper together in a medium bowl. Stir in the cheese. add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. spread the out the vegetables evenly and, when the pan is hot, pour in the egg mixture. cook until the bottom is set, about 3 minutes, and then transfer the skillet to the oven.Bake in until the eggs are set on top, about 15 minutes.
5. Place the  frittata under a broiler a few inches from the heat source until the top is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. remove from from the heat and let rest for a few minutes; the fritatta will pull away from the sides of the pan. Slice in the pan or else flip the frittata onto a plate and serve.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy; I did!

CS

Something to Break Today’s Fast With

I’ve been looking to break the assoro beteives fast with something different than my usual (cheeses sandwiches, yogurt, orange juice, danish and coffee), considering it’s winter and it’s quite cold, I figured I should go for some of my youth’s comfort food, like my mother’s fritattas. I barely remembered her ingredients (and yet I dare call them comfort food), thus I had to go looking on the web and I found something made with ingredients I have on hand.

Here is one recipe I adapted from chow.com:

Onion, Mushroom, and Goat Cheese Mini Frittatas Recipe

by Amy Wisniewski

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for coating the pan
• 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 4 ounces chèvre (goat cheese)
• 9 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the onions and mushrooms

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Generously coat the wells of a 12-well muffin pan with butter; set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and the measured butter in a medium frying pan over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and the butter has melted.
3. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring rarely, until it is a deep golden brown, adjusting the heat as necessary if it starts to brown too much, about 30 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper, add the thyme, and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.
4. Meanwhile, clean, trim, and slice the mushrooms 1/2 inch thick; set aside. Crumble the goat cheese into pea-sized pieces and set aside.
5. Return the frying pan to medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring rarely, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add to the bowl with the onion. Add the goat cheese to the bowl and stir to evenly combine; set aside.
6. Place the eggs and milk in a large bowl and whisk until the eggs are broken up and evenly combined with the milk, about 1 minute. Add the measured salt and whisk to combine.
7. Divide the onion-mushroom-cheese mixture evenly among the wells of the prepared muffin pan. Fill each well almost to the top with the egg mixture.
8. Bake until each frittata is puffed and the center is just set, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan to a wire rack until it’s cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes (the frittatas will deflate). Run a small knife around the perimeter of each well to loosen and remove the frittatas. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy and have an easy fast!

CS

Art You Have to Eat!

One must wonder if the Chef at u café (1436 Lexington Avenue, Bet E. 93rd E. 94th St, New York, NY 10128 – In Manattan’s Upper East Side – Telephone: 212.427.8223) was a painter of delightful still life canvasses in a former gilgul (incarnation). The attention to shape, the attention to color, the attention to detail, make the particular presentation unforgettable. Udi Ben Ari’s eye for color will remind you of some Caravaggio paintings, his shapes will bring to mind Breugel the Elder.

While the owner and his parents are Israelis, this dairy and fish restaurant features far more than mere Israeli fare. Udi graduated from Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island and that training shows through. Not only is the look of the food guaranteed to make your mouth water, the unique combination of flavors in each dish bespeaks of an all too rare understanding of the subtle nuances of the taste each ingredient brings to the total culinary experience.

On my fist visit to u café I ordered a Fritatta which, as you see below, was full of color and invitingly appetizing…

The next time I went I ordered a Salmon Burger…

Notice how the shape of the pepper, on top of the bread, fits in perfectly with the sauce at the bottom of the photo. Notice how well the cherry tomato’s color goes with the color of the pepper while it directs your attention to the fresh salad? Which 16th century painter’s eye was responsible for this dish’ perfect composition?

Now look at the shapes and unbelievable colors in their Halomi Salad…

I can hear those of you who know me saying, “But CS, you never eat fish!” It’s true I haven’t – even as a child – touched fish.  Having seen another diner at the cafe at a table next to mine order the Salmon Burger, having smelled the non-fish aroma I thought I’d take a bold step and – with trepidation in my heart – I too ordered it. I shouldn’t have worried; it’s taste, it’s texture did not say fish! The perfect proportion of condiments made the burger taste very meat-like.

I finished by having a coffee and a slice of Tricolor Cake. A true feast for the eye of any chocolate lover and his palate.

Once you taste their food you soon understand why they won this year’s Kosherfest’s competition for the best sandwich!

The winning sandwich above is made with tarragon egg salad over smoked salmon with black caviar over brioche. Having eaten the  very same one I photographed I must fully agree with the Kosherfest judges that it is the best sandwich in New  York!

All in all, both my visits there were delightful experiences that proved you can eat art!

CS

EVENT

This Saturday night, November the 14th, there will be a cantorial kumzits at u café, I plan to be there. Come over and say hello!