CSA week 16 - roasted kale, glazed turnips and, I dunno, a sausage or something

I took up Karen's suggestion in last post's comments to roast kale in bacon fat this evening. It's really the same recipe as kale chips with a shorter cooking time and more crowded pan so they only get crisped up around the edges. Cut out the stems, wash the leaves, toss them with plenty of bacon fat and salt, put them in the oven at 425 degrees. Roast for 7 minutes, stir, and cook for 3 more. I found it needed a few minutes more than that, but that's when to check for doneness. If you're happy with it, drop them back into your tossing bowl, dress with a little more fat or oil and a bit of vinegar and serve.

The turnip recipe I found here cooks wedges of turnip like pot-stickers--something that never would have occurred to me. Peel and slice your turnips, lay them out in a pan, dot with butter, add water to come halfway up and turn the heat on high. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and boil away the water. When the pan's dry, turn the heat back up and cook for five minutes more. Dress the turnips in a honey/red-wine-vinegar vinaigrette and serve. I'm out of the poppy seeds the recipe calls for so I used a sesame seed herb mix from Spice House instead. I don't think it made a huge difference.


The kale leaves are quite unevenly cooked depending on how thick they were and where they happened to be in the pile. There are thin crispy edges, but also thick chewy pieces. Almost, but not quite, too chewy; they're still manageable. Maybe they could have used another couple minutes in the oven. And they've got huge flavor--starting with the bacon fat, salt and vinegar--but the burst of those fades into the classic accents to kale they're meant to be.

The turnips are fabulous beyond all expectation--buttery and sweet--succulent but still with a little bite around the edges. The best of turnip flavor is front and center, not at all overwhelmed by the dressing. I declare this my new favorite way to cook turnips.

The sausage isn't bad either. I fried up a slice of spicy Portuguese chourico that pairs nicely with the kale. But I'm going back for seconds of those turnips.