African-Style stewed kale paired with wonderful local blend
African-Style stewed kale tastes better than it looks but the bright red from the tomatoes and deep green from the kale says ‘packed with nutrients and flavor’ all on its own
The weather has cooled down (thank goodness) and it doesn’t seem crazy to use the stovetop at the moment so I went back to that kale website and made the African-Style Stewed Kale the other night.
I’m a fan of peanut sauces so, when I saw the ingredients for this recipe a few days ago, I knew I’d have to try it. The original recipe called for couscous which I have none of right now so I served it on a bed of lentils. The couscous would’ve sopped up the liquid so I just left the lid off the dish and simmered the ingredients on the stove for a few extra minutes to cook down the tomato juice a bit more.
Cellar Rat Red hanging out in our first-year asparagus patch. Next year fresh asparagus to pair with East Fork’s Dry Riesling possibly.
The minute I decided to introduce lentils, I knew the bottle of Cellar Rat Red from East Fork Cellars that I’d been saving would pair quite nicely. Lentils have an earthy quality about them that reminds me of mushrooms in scent and wine-pairing. East Fork sources the grapes in their Cellar Rat Red from the Columbia Valley AVA which is producing some remarkable Merlots, hopefully tackling the bad wrap that Merlot has acquired in recent years. It has its place, folks, just like every other wine out there.
The point of my Merlot segue is that Merlot is commonly blended with Cab Sauv to tame its potentially rough edges which East Fork has done with the Cellar Rat – 64 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 22 percent Merlot. It proved a worthy companion to the African-Style Stewed Kale (recipe below). Cheers!
African-Style Stewed Kale
2 Tbsp unsalted butter – I used olive oil
1 chopped onion
3 minced garlic cloves
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
2 heads kale, stemmed and chopped
½ C peanut butter
½ cilantro leaves
Couscous (1 cup dry couscous makes 2 – 2 ½ cups cooked couscous)*
*1 used 2 C lentils instead of couscous
Heat butter in a large sauté pan. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Stir in cumin and coriander, then tomatoes and kale. Cover and cook until kale is just tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in peanut butter and cilantro and simmer for 10 minutes; season with hot pepper sauce, if desired. 6 servings. Serve over couscous.
Note: I used lentils. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in medium pan. Add lentils, stir and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside. Stir lentils in with African-Style Stewed Kale (minus couscous) and serve as a bowl-type side dish or a wonderful main course for any vegetarian.
Recipe taken from : http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/cooking-tips/article/11-quick-and-easy-ways-to-cook-with-kale
Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.