Cavolo nero

[french frank]

I got a nice bag of fresh CN t'other day and was looking for an interesting way to serve it to myself. Always attracted by recipes for which I have all the ingredients in the cupboard.

Wok - olive oil - garlic - flaked almonds - salt - torn cavolo nero with stems removed.

That's it really. . Must confess that once the cavolo nero was covered in olive oil, I was happy. Veg can never be undercooked for me. If you'd rather wilt it for a bit longer, an ordinary frying pan with a cover might do the trick.

[Thropplenoggin]

It's great in this Italian peasant soup, which is also a nice way to use up stale bread: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...ssic-ribollita

You can also use spinach in its stead. A generous squeeze of lemon to serve.

One of those dishes that gets better the longer it sits in the pot.

[french frank]

It's great in this Italian peasant soup, which is also a nice way to use up stale bread: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandst...ssic-ribollita

You can also use spinach in its stead. A generous squeeze of lemon to serve.

One of those dishes that gets better the longer it sits in the pot.

Ooh, I was thinking of mentioning ribollita (I've got some flageolets soaking for tomorrow to fling into it). Revelation was discovering that if you semi toast bread and while it's still warm rub it thoroughly with the cut side of a clove of garlic, the flavour really sinks in :-)

[Anna]

Cavolo Nero - greengrocers have been stocking it for ages, supermarkets charge around zillionx more,
Basically, it's tough cabbage. Sort of kale, but less sexy it seems.
Try it with pasta, gorgonzola, and pine nuts, or just with a Sunday roast.

[amateur51]

Just recovering from a heavy cold and the ribollita (can RT please supply the correct pronunciation advice please) sounds just the ticket

[jean]

I have never liked cavolo nero much, though it shares with curly kale the advantage that slugs don't seem to like it.

I have recently stir-fried kale until it resembles crispy seaweed.

[french frank]

I have never liked cavolo nero much, though it shares with curly kale the advantage that slugs don't seem to like it.

I have recently stir-fried kale until it resembles crispy seaweed.

Oil too hot. The garlic and almonds give it a bit more zing, and I think a bit of chopped red chilli would be good too. Think not whether you like it or not, think what it can do for you: the dark green is a good sign.

Another way to cook it (and cabbage): put butter or oil into a pan, add chopped onion until it softens, then add the greens and a bare centimetre of water. Cover and let it steam. When no more steam is appearing, that's it. Remove from heat and serve (you can add odds and ends like garlic, chilli, fennel seed etc. though I would probably reserve them for stir-frying). If you use butter, the greens should just be glistening once the water has steamed away.

[gradus]

If you've got a little space in the garden,cavolo nero is very easy to grow and very hardy.

[jean]

Oil too hot...

But I did it on purpose! I like crispy seaweed!

I only wonder if in acquiring crispiness the kale loses its nutrients.

(When I cook vegetables in water I always use very little. I learnt that from my mother - our house was full of burnt pans, but it was worth it.)

[french frank]

But I did it on purpose! I like crispy seaweed!

Apologies! I have done it unintentionally. Yes, it loses nutrients, I believe by being heated. Even when I make stir-fries, I like the veggies almost raw, but I think they keep their nutrients best when completely raw. Any chemistry to suggest that cooking can enhance the nutritional value in any cases?

[I have burnt pans too]

[Anna]

[I have burnt pans too]

Me too, I have been known even to to burn rice. But, cavolo nero, I prefer chard, but I am a fan of kale, well, any dark green veg and again, almost raw, with bite. I also like seaweed.

[MrGongGong]

We have some Russian (I think ?) Kale which is much more reliable than the curly sort and makes great Ribollita especially good with the garlic rubbed sourdough toast and a hefty amount of fresh chilli though it only seems to be me who will eat the Bhut Jolokia ones we have on the windowsill !

[french frank]

I have been known even to burn rice.

Easy to do - I measure a half cup of rice into the saucepan, cover it (just) with water, cover the pan and again treat it as cooked (in spite of any evidence to the contrary) when all the water has steamed off. Very easy to forget about it for five minutes.

Cavolo nero is a type of kale, I think. You need to tear the leaf off the stem as that can be quite tough.

[jean]

Cavolo nero is a type of kale, I think...

I think so, and kale, along with cabbage, sprouts, broccoli and others is a brassica. They are said to have a special property that protects again st cancer, but I don't know how it's affected by cooking.

Vitamin C is destroyed by cooking, especially if you use lots of water and throw it away. But I have heard that the nutirtional value of carrots is improved by cooking - I think that's because they contain Vitamin A which isn't water-soluble and so survives the cooking process better.

[Thropplenoggin]

Easy to do - I measure a half cup of rice into the saucepan, cover it (just) with water, cover the pan and again treat it as cooked (in spite of any evidence to the contrary) when all the water has steamed off. Very easy to forget about it for five minutes.

Rice cooker.