Spicy Garlic Kale With Sauteed Red Peppers

What's Cooking?'s Note:

This dish is as lovely to look at as it is to eat, due to its beautifully contrasting colors. It is a simple way to add zest to fresh vegetables and quickly prepare a gourmet side dish for fish, meat, or rice & beans. Steaming the kale instead of sautéing it helps it cook more quickly and maintain its bright green color.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 bunches kale
• 1/2 cup leek, chopped
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced (or extruded through garlic press)
• 1 1/2 large red bell peppers, cut into short strips
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt
• white pepper

Directions:

1. Wash kale. Pull greens away from the stalks, discarding stalks. Shred by hand into small pieces.
2. Place kale in steamer basket, and steam until tender (approximately 10 minutes). Remove immediately from heat.
3. Heat olive oil in heavy pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add onions and leeks. Saute until onions are translucent and leeks begin to brown. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, saute for 1-2 more minutes. Add bell pepper slices, and saute until tender (approximately 4-5 minutes). Remove from heat.
4. Add kale to pan, and toss ingredients together thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or room temperature.

Reviews

[Koiotic]

This was amazing - I made exactly as recipe but with NO OIL - Instead I put the onions and leek into a hot pan and browned, then added cooking wine to deglaze - I did this a few times, then sauteed in water. I follow Dr. Fuhrmans - Eat to Live - and he advises against added oil because of the amount of calories/fat it can add to a dish. In addition, I am fairly new to Kale and this was truly an amazing combination - and made the Kale so yummy. I will be making more tonight.

[Chef #1515157]

I too cut back on the amount of oil but substituted grape seed oil. After cleaning the kale, cut it in about 1" segments, drizzle a small amount of olive oil and sea salt on it, then put it in the oven in a grill pan to let it get crisp. After veggies are cooked, the baked kale is stirred in lightly. We thoroughly enjoyed this recipe alteration.

[vwittphd]

What a beautiful side dish - it exudes health with every bite! I loved the fresh, bright color of the steamed kale. I also used a little less oil to saute the onions and bell peppers, substituting water when needed during the cooking process. I'd probably add a bit less of the red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp. vs. 1/2 tsp.), but for someone who enjoys a spicey, vitamin-packed treat, this is it!