Kale

I have a vegetable box delivered each week from Eat Your Greens, Llanrhaeadr.  One of the most frequently occurring vegetables in the box is kale.  It isn't a very appetising looking vegetable - like a very large-leafed cabbage, and initially I was rather at a loss what to do with it.

It makes a delicious accompaniment to a fry-up.  Simply fry it with everything else!  If you add a sprinkling of salt it tastes a bit like crispy seaweed!

Kale crisps can be made by chopping up the kale, sprinkling and tossing with olive oil and a little salt, and roasting in the oven for a couple of minutes. Take out of the oven and quickly spread on kitchen roll so they don't go soggy.

Kale pesto can be added to sweet potatoes. Simply whiz kale, pine nuts, olive oil and grated parmesan in a liquidizer.  A handful of basil leaves could be added for extra flavour.

Kale omlette - fry shredded kale with a little salt in coconut oil.  Whisk an egg, add kale and a little grated cheese and fry.

It also goes nicely in a soup - sort of minestroni with kale replacing the pasta.  To make it I fried onion and bacon cut into small piecesin a large saucepan in olive oil.  When they are browned, add chopped carrots and courgette, and anything other veg you may have.  After a couple of minutes add enough water to cover and kale leaves cut into thin shreds.  Boil for 20 mins or so.  Add veg bouillon to taste.

These eggs look lovely because they are from my bantam hens.  They don't lay a lot of eggs, but the few they do lay are small and delicious