Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan)

What is Lacinato Kale?

Sometimes referred to as Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale because of its bumpy leaves, It dates back to 18th-century Italy where it was first recorded as being cultivated.

It is more delicate and sweet than curly kale. If you've never liked kale this mild variety would be a great one to try. It is great for braising because of its softer texture. People associate it with earthy and nutty flavors.

It can be stored in your fridge in a loose plastic bag. If I'm not using it in the first day or two, I like to wrap the stems in a wet paper towel. I find that it stays fresher when I do that.

Where to find it

Most grocery stores will carry a variety of kale whether it be bagged or loose greens. I bought this kale at a farmer's market. I am never able to find it at Trader Joe's and I do prefer to buy the loose greens versus a packaged version. The less packaging there is means it took less time to get from the farm to me.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

Kale. It is important to use the Lacinato variety, aka Tuscan kale because of its ideal texture and taste. Curly leaf and red Russian kale are NOT great for braising.

Water. I use water because it doesn't add any extra flavor. It allows the cherry tomatoes and lemon flavor to really come through. Some people ask about chicken broth, but I think it is an unnecessary addition.

Cherry Tomatoes. It is important to identify the differences between cherry and grape tomatoes. A lot of people use them interchangeably but they have very different flavors. Cherry tomatoes are best for this recipe because they are delicate and sweeter.

Step-by-step directions

This recipe is really quick and easy. Make sure all of your ingredients are ready next to you to have the smoothest cooking process. Sometimes this is referred to as mise en place.

Prep the Kale

Prepare the kale by rinsing in cold water and drying it with a paper towel. This is to make sure there is no dirt in the leaves. Then cut the kale in half like the picture shown right below.

If you have small children eating this, it would be safest to cut the kale into bite-sized pieces. As a Speech Pathologist with expertise in swallowing, leafy greens can be really unsafe for little ones or older adults who chew with their mouths open or talk while they're eating. So use your judgment when preparing this.

Sauteing

In a dutch oven on medium heat, add olive oil and wait until shimmering or you can see a light reflection. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 1 and a half minutes. You don't want it to all be brown, but a little brown is okay.

When you can smell the garlic, add the cherry tomatoes and squeeze in the juice from the whole lemon. Stir occasionally until the cherry tomatoes begin to slightly break down, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper.

Braising the Kale

Kale recipes often have you blanch the kale, which is another pot and another cooking process. This recipe is great because it eliminates that. Dinosaur kale is perfect for braising and doesn't need to be blanched.

Once the cherry tomatoes have begun to break down, add in the kale and a ¼ cup of water. Save a ¼ cup for later. Cover the pot and let the kale braise for 15 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point.

When you open the pot at the halfway point to stir, you may need to add ¼ cup of water if there is no liquid or very little liquid in the pot. Add the water, close the pot, and braise for another 7-8 minutes or until the kale is tender.

Open the dutch oven, take it off the heat, and add the pat of butter. Stir until it is completely emulsified into the sauce. Remove the kale from the dutch oven and serve!

Pro Tip

1. Adding the butter at the end of the recipe is the key to a deeper flavor! This will add some shine and richness to the sauce. This process is called Monter au Beurre, which is a French phrase for emulsifying water and cold butter. You can see above exactly how the butter affected the sauce.

What to serve it with

• This lacinato kale recipe goes SWIMMINGLY with seafood (haha). Try serving it alongside some pan-seared snapper, Steamed Mussels in White Wine, pistachio-crusted seabass, or garlic sage seared scallops!
• I'd also serve this in the summer when we're doing burgers every weekend! It would be great to get in some vegetables with our bacon blue cheeseburger, goat cheese and fig jam sliders, or the big fat Greek chicken burger!
• I LOVE vegetables alongside my big pasta meals. Serve this with your Sunday sauce, bison ragu, or authentic bolognese.
• If you're looking to pair it with another meat, I'd serve it with Chicken Breast in Lemon Butter Sauce, chicken cutlets, pesto chicken breast, or chevalatta!
• Serve it alongside one of our other favorites, The Creamiest Mushroom Truffle Risotto!

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