Easy dinner recipes: Kale three ways for Gluten-free Wednesday

Love kale? Soon you’ll be able to get kale not only at every gastropub in town, but at McDonald’s. Lucky you. Or you can try one of these three recipes, each perfect for Gluten-free Wednesday.

AOC’s cavolo nero: You’ll love this recipe for its simplicity and immense flavor. Seasoned with onion, garlic, rosemary and a dried chile de árbol for a little heat, the kale is slowly cooked to the point of caramelization for extra rich color and depth of flavor. You can find the recipe below.

Gjelina’s grilled Russian kale: Quickly charred Russian kale is topped with a bright yogurt dressing flavored with garlic, shallot, fresh mint and a touch of red wine vinegar. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and this salad works well as a simple dinner on its own, served with a cool glass of wine, or a substantial side. Make this recipe from Gjelina chef Travis Lett in less than 30 minutes.

Little Dom’s Tuscan kale salad: Because of their rather tough texture, greens such as kale are often cooked to tenderize them before serving. But gently rubbing a bright vinaigrette onto the cut greens also works to soften their texture, making for a wonderfully fresh salad with crisp, assertive notes. Top it with a few grilled baby carrots for an extra touch of color and you have a finished dish in under 30 minutes.

CAVOLO NERO

Total time: About 1 hour

Servings: 4 to 6

Note: Adapted from Suzanne Goin of Lucques. Cavolo nero (black kale) is also known as Tuscan, Lacinato and dinosaur kale.

4 bunches cavolo nero, stemmed and cleaned

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 sprig rosemary

1 dried chile de árbol

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided, more as needed

2 tablespoons chicken broth or water, optional

1. Blanch the cavolo nero in a large pot of salted, boiling water just until softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the cavolo nero and immediately place it in a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain again and set aside.

2. In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan heated over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onions, rosemary and chile de árbol. Gently sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt. Continue to cook until the onions are transparent and just beginning to color, an additional 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Stir the cavolo nero into the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 30 to 40 minutes. As it cooks, the cavolo nero will turn a deep dark green, almost black color, and the texture will go from soft to almost a little crisp from caramelizing on the bottom of the pan. This is good and will enhance the flavor. If the cavolo nero becomes too dry, add a little stock or water to moisten the bottom of the pan. Season with the remaining one-fourth teaspoon salt and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Each of 6 servings: 120 calories; 2 grams protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 224 mg. sodium.

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