The Power of Kale: Juice to Victory!

Kale is having its moment. It has exploded in popularity recently; from the latest magazines filling column inches with its praise, to ‘fad’ diet plans dedicated to the stuff. It seems everyone is giving this vegetable a try. And why not? As part of the cabbage family, the list of benefits is endless. This green leafy vegetable is packed with iron, vitamins A, B, C and K, fibre, anti-oxidants and multiple minerals.

So, how’s best to eat this super food? Well, it seems the trend is to juice it, with celebrities everywhere being snapped with this healthy-looking green juice. But doesn’t it taste disgusting? Despite my best efforts, I’ve never been a big fan of vegetable juices, finding them fairly unpalatable when compared with the sweetness of a fruit juice.

Curiosity took over, and I set out to create a kale juice which tasted great and that I would enjoy drinking. After stocking up on a variety of fruit and vegetables (and plenty of kale), I was ready to give it a go. I spent the afternoon trying out various combinations, taking note of what tasted good together, and turning my kitchen into a bombsite in the process! I eventually honed it down to my two favourites, both of which contain plenty of fruit to help mask the taste of the kale. I used a blender to make mine, as I don’t have a juicer. It worked fine, but I used extra liquid in my recipes to ensure it reached the correct consistency. Don’t forget to drink it as soon as you can after making, since the ingredients will start to lose nutrients once blended.

Coconut and Pineapple Kale Juice

Blend together a bunch of kale with a cup of coconut water. It will look quite ‘bitty’ at this stage but don’t worry. Next add a 3 inch piece of cucumber, 1 stick of celery and 3 heaped tbsp. of fresh or tinned pineapple. Blend until smooth.

This juice is really refreshing, and the coconut water and pineapple keep it tasting lovely and sweet. I haven’t stopped drinking it since!

Kiwi and Ginger Kale Juice

This juice packs quite a punch with the tang of the kiwis and ginger! Perfect for the ‘morning after’, this juice rehydrates you and give you a shot of vitamins, whilst ginger helps to beat nausea. Ensure you use ripe kiwis to lessen the sharpness, and add the ginger a little at a time – increasing gradually to your taste.

Take a bunch of kale and 1 cored apple and blend with approx. 200-250ml water until smooth. Next add 2 ripe, peeled kiwis and blend again. Finally, add ½ thumbnail of ginger paste and blend to mix. A fantastic energiser in the morning!

Kale crisps are another trend that has appeared recently. With crisps being my weakness, I was keen to try making some of my own. And whilst you’re there, why not try making parsnip, carrot or beetroot crisps too? The perfect guilt-free snack, I guarantee they won’t last long!

Kale Crisps

Prepare the kale by washing the leaves, drying them thoroughly, then cutting out and discarding the thick stalks in the middle. Cut the leaves into bite sized pieces. Drizzle 1 tbsp. olive oil over the leaves and mix with your hands.

Lay the leaves out on a baking tray, ensuring they don’t overlap. This will take up a lot of space so you will need a few trays. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper, then cook on a low heat (120⁰C) for 30 minutes. Leave to cool, before sprinkling with further sea salt and devouring!

 

Have a go at the recipes above or try out some of your own juices, and you will soon see what all the fuss is about with this super food. For me, it beats a can of coke and a packet of ready salted any day!

Look out for my next post soon!

‘Santé!’: Cotton-reel Canapés to Coq au Vin Creation

I’ve just returned from a fortnight in the idyllic Languedoc Roussillon, Southern France. Driving through beautiful vineyards nestled in breath-taking mountains, and hopping from one picturesque town to the next along the coast, what better place to try all of the traditional delights and be inspired to start cooking!

Montpellier

Our first stop was the lively city of Montpellier, where we stumbled upon its local delicacy of Petit Pâtés. These delightful mini pies look like cute cotton reels, and are stuffed with minced mutton. They are a little similar to pork pies, except the filling is an unusual combination of sweet and savoury. I couldn’t wait to make some of own! They can be eaten hot or cold and would make a perfect addition to picnics. But since we are now in autumn, try them as a warming lunch with fresh salad, as delicious canapés or as a starter ‘with a difference’ at your next dinner party. Likewise, they are just at home on a cheese board, accompanied by a bottle of red wine.
 

There are many variations of this recipe to be found, some of which include sultanas and spices such as nutmeg. However, I wanted to keep them as a savoury pie with a sweet twist, rather than like a Christmas mince pie. Here’s my  recipe:

Petit Pâtés

1.      Combine 400g mutton/lamb mince with the zest of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp. brown sugar and a pinch of salt and pepper.

2.      Make (or buy!) some shortcrust pastry and start constructing your mini pie. Use a glass approx. 5cm diameter to cut out 2 disc ends. Cut a rectangle approx. 13.5cm X 4cm. Adjust these sizes accordingly if you are making canapés instead.

3.      Make the rectangle into a cylinder shape on top of one of the discs. Pinch the 2 pieces of pastry together around the base.

4.      Fill the cylinder with the mince mixture. Place another disc on top, and pinch together to seal.

5.      Brush the pie tops with beaten egg, then put a few holes in the top using a skewer. Bake at 200⁰C for 20 minutes. Delicious with Dijon mustard!

 

The next part of our journey took us to the quaint fishing ports of Sète and Port-Vendres. 


Port-Vendres

Afternoons were spent soaking up the sunshine, whilst enjoying fresh local fish in restaurants dotted along the water’s edge. This reminded me of my favourite French dish; Pissaladière. I love how the saltiness of the anchovies and olives is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of the onions. This dish is really easy to make, yet looks so impressive! The only part that requires patience is slow cooking the onions, but this is vital to give them their sticky sweetness. Try my recipe below:

Pissaladière

1.      Thinly slice 8 medium sized white onions and place in a saucepan with a generous splash of oil and 1 tbsp. sugar. Cook on a low heat for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Set aside to cool.

2.      Roll out some puff pastry into a shape of your choice. Score a border 2cm in from the edge to form the crust. Spread the onions evenly over the base within the border.

3.      Arrange some anchovies in a traditional grid pattern over the onions. Then slice a handful of pitted black olives in half. You can either add these to the topping now, or when the tart is cooked, depending on personal preference.

4.      Cook in the oven at 200⁰C for 20-25 minutes, and enjoy!

 



Pyrénées-Orientales

Finally, our travels took us through the vineyards of the dramatic Pyrénées-Orientales. We were spoilt for choice on where to stop for ‘dégustation de vins’! Tasting all the beautifully-bodied wines of the region left me inspired to cook another French favourite; Coq au Vin. This dish brings back fond memories of having it as a child, since it is a favourite in the family thanks to my grandad’s love of French cooking. The trick is to be generous with the red wine! Try my recipe below and enjoy this warming one-pot wonder as the nights draw in:

 

Coq au Vin

 

1.      Add a splash of oil to a casserole dish and brown off the chicken thighs (2 thighs per person). Don’t be tempted to skip this stage since it locks in the chicken’s juices, keeping the meat succulent and preventing the sauce from becoming oily later on. Set the thighs aside.

2.      Pop a couple of handfuls of baby button mushrooms into the pan and cook for a few minutes until golden. Set aside with the chicken.

3.      Turn the heat down and sweat a couple of chopped onions and a diced carrot for 10 minutes, until soft. Add a couple of chopped garlic cloves and cook for a further minute.

4.      Now to make the sauce. Add 2 heaped tbsp. plain flour to the vegetables and stir to combine. Now estimate how much sauce you will need to cover your chicken. You will need 2 parts red wine to 1 part chicken stock. First slowly add the red wine, constantly stirring to thicken the sauce. Then add the chicken stock and stir to make a delicious sauce.

5.      Finally pop in the chicken, mushrooms and a bouquet garni, then season with salt and pepper.

6.      Cook for 1 hour at 180⁰C. Serve with a crusty baguette to soak up all the tasty sauce.

 

So, crack open a bottle of France’s finest and have a go at some of these traditional recipes. Oh, and don’t forget to save some of the wine for the cooking, Bon appétit!

À bientôt for my next post!