Easy dinner recipes: kale three ways for gluten-free Wednesday

Love kale? Even if you don’t consider yourself a fan, these options are bound to have you asking for seconds. Best of all, they’re 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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