Kitchen Garden Forum

I'm disappointed with curly kale, I only grew it because the seed vendor who I think was Kings. Or was a free packet maybe, anyway, they said it was a new tasty type.

Both Cavelo nero and nero toscana are growing on my plot and I have yet to discern the difference.

I always cook more than I need, I boil and simmer for five minutes then drain it and squeeze it like spinach. Like spinach you end up with a quarter of what you started with. I'll use some in my meal then keep some in the fridge for adding to soup and pizza. I have yet to use it in stir-fry but I snack on it cold if I sautéed it in olive oil with some salt and pepper. Sometimes some crushed garlic, sometimes some chopped and fried bacon.

I love it but I cant keep up with it's growth, I'm now so confident that the netting will help stuff survive the winter I have broccoli seedlings growing under cover. They will go in just as soon as I buy some envirofleece.

My Cavalo Nero has been very good this year after applying lots of manure last year.
I find the largest older leaves a bit on the strong side flavour wise, but the smaller ones are much more tender and milder.

I like Red Russian too for its attractive colour and tenderness.

All the kales produce nice tender flower shoots to use like broccoli, especially if you break out the top of the plant.

Lazy way to prepare is to strip them off the midrib when you pick them leave the rest attached to the plant. Looks a bit untidy but saves time in the kitchen.

I don't waste the large leaves the hens like them for their afternoon treat or you can chop a couple of leaves up and add to curries, stews or soup, but not too much to overwhelm the flavour.

We've been so impressed with the Cavalo Nero that we've decided to give up on the other cabbages and just grow a whole bed of kale.

That is just what I have done, my summer kale had some holes in the leaves though nothing like the dreadful effects of mini slugs in my cabbages.

The later kale and through winter kale is looking good and coping with the wind because of the netting, I'm now so confident I have sprouting broccoli plants ready to accompany the kale.

Even the curly kale I have that looks good takes a rear seat to cavelo nero.

I'm just about to make a pesto with cavelo nero and though I haven't a clue how I'll react to this new flavour I do have a comprehensive taste and attitude to new things.

Report follows, in-due-course. of-course.

What a determined and wonderful plant this particular kale is, as a result of someones post I cropped the tops and did a tidy up of old leaves for the compost bins, now I have new shoots growing out of the stumps and I expected to lift the old plants by now.

And I have two further stages of planting, thank good ness the colder weather has slowed progress. I'm up to my ears in kale and quite frankly not being very adventurous with it.

Compared to my first try with sprouting broccoli this Cavelo Nero is fantastic and indestructable, though that is down to the enviromesh.

I planted the new broccoli seedlings yesterday, mini polytunnels over the plants, will they provide for me by Christmas ?

How did the pesto turn out Richard?

Westi

How did the pesto turn out ? Good question Westi, it wasn't very nice though I have full confidence that I made a mess is it rather than the original sorce being at fault.

I'll be having another go soon though most of my time and energy is spent on the black art of sourdough baking.

I think I picked kale that was too mature for this recipe, no excuse. I had plenty of new young shoots I could have used.

Sorry if you've been hanging about for a result.

The kale pesto was to be flicked onto sourdough flatbreads, my sourdough is going through an adolescent period so mostly everything is going wrong or at the very best not-quite-right.

Thanks for asking though, I hadn't realised the subject had a small following. Kale pesto with some fresh new shoots tomorrow though with pasta rather than flicked onto flat breads and baked.