Kale(s)

[digitS']

Imma gonna post something about a veggie other than a leafy green one of these first days!

First tho' , I've got something special going on with having Portuguese kale in the garden for only the 2nd time and Russian kale for the 1st time. Russian kale is a Brassica napus, sometimes (I guess), it is even called a Napus kale and it is closely related to a rutabaga:

You can see it here surrounded by Scotch kale. However, there is a similar plant with white spines over there on the left. Seed for these came in the "Red Russian" kale packet but it must be White Russian. I guess that's okay, they both are a good deal more tender than the Scotch kale and are kind of mild. That's a different concept for kale!

Scotch and Portuguse kales are more closely related to cabbages than rutabagas. They are Brassica oleracea. Collards are in this group, also.

I'm a little reluctant to show you a picture of the Portuguese kale ... the poor things have been harvested so hard, they look like little palm trees! They are getting no better of a chance to grow this year than they did on Sep 4, 2012 (& you can click that date and see).

All of the plants in the picture have been harvested at least once. By September, they too will look like palm trees!

Steve
who picked a nice bag full of Snap Peas this morning!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

Steve, do you notice any difference in taste between the different types whether they have been zapped with frost or not?

 

[Carol Dee]

Here is the Kale we are growing for the 2nd year. No idea the type! We can hardly keep up with it. MIL has also been enjoying it and we already have some in the freezer for winter soups.

 

[digitS']

When I first grew kale, I'm not sure if I even harvested it until winter. After decades, I grew it again.

My gardens are all cleared soon after frost and over the last few years while I've been growing it again - the harvest has begun in June. There are only tender, new leaves to harvest by frost. They taste the same as in the spring, @Chickie'sMomaInNH .

Frost probably "tenderizes" older leaves. ...

My 2nd year plant went to seed, Carol Dee. It was hiding out in the raspberries. That was in 2013 and some of this year's Scotch kale is from that seed.

Steve

 

[britesea]

hmmm, I planted something that was advertised as Russian Red, but it's coming in looking very different from yours.

is this the stuff called "dinosaur kale"?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah, I think that is dinosaur kale. I planted some this year that looks like that.

 

[britesea]

Well, whatever it is, both the family and the ducks are nutty about it. I've got 9 plants which hopefully will give us all enough. Most years, I can harvest kale until about January before it finally poops out on me. We prefer the flavor over spinach or any of the other popular leafy greens.

This soup is a lot tastier than it sounds at first... give it a try!

Scottish Kale Brose

INGREDIENTS

10 oz Kale; well washed, stalks removed

2 pints hot beef stock

2 oz medium oatmeal

1 heaped tsp salt

Fresh ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Place the kale in a large saucepan with the hot stock and bring to the boil. Then cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, place the oatmeal on a sheet of foil and toast under a hot grill for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown, shaking often so it does not burn.

2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the kale to a blender and puree with a ladle or so of the stock, then return it to the pan. Add the salt and plenty of freshly milled pepper. Gradually add most of the toasted oatmeal and, stirring constantly to avoid lumps, cook for 4-5 minutes, until thickened. Check the seasoning and ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Sprinkle over the remaining oatmeal.

 

[digitS']

Hi @britesea .

Yes, that recipe is not much different from mine (& Mom's) for kale soup. I just use pearled barley. It's good!

RidgeRunner must be correct. I became a little mixed up on what I was growing last year. (Without a picture on the seed packet & the packet lost anyway, a couple months later I'm relying entirely on my memory of the written word! ) I think I've got it now: Dinosaur kale is an Italian version of the Scotch kale. Sisters.

Steve
who is having Portuguese kale with bacon with lunch ...

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

hmmm, I planted something that was advertised as Russian Red, but it's coming in looking very different from yours. View attachment 3496
is this the stuff called "dinosaur kale"?

Dinosaur or black or Italian it is called. My seed package said Italian, but also called Lacinato.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I am going to make the soup with barley and give it a try. I was using chicken stock, but I will try the beef. My DS actually will eat kale soup, so I have been growing more this year. I started the blue Scotch, the black, and curly Scotch. I have grown the Russian, but I did not like the flavor, but it survived the winter and I was picking it for the rabbits, who like the black kale better. I have kale seedlings to plant in the next few days and I did include Russian because I think it would make good kale chips in the dehydrator.