Some time ago my dad, Prof, challenged me to find a blog worthy recipe for kale. He loves kale. He raves about its health benefits and he grows a lot of it. It is one of the staple vegetables in his diet. He also knows that I haven’t been such an avid fan. I often find it is bitter and has a strong aftertaste, so I am sure he was snickering to himself and thinking I would fail! But, in accepting the challenge I set out to investigate what could be done with this rugged little green leaf. 
The first thing I learned on my kale discovery adventure was that it isn’t readily available in the shops nearby, and when I do find it it is often a bit sad and tired. The second thing that I learned is that kale needs to cook for much longer than spinach – those leaves are pretty tough. The third thing that I learned is that when cooked in the right way, I can actually enjoy this healthy green vegetable. The recipe below is SO good, which means that I met the challenge and won – but Prof has forced me to change my views, so it’s a win for him too! Thanks Dad!
The recipe here was inspired by one I found on the mamacino blog: http://mamacino.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/hey-presto-kale-pesto-delicious-dip/ (lovely blog with some delicious recipes – worth a look).
Recipe
Pesto
- bunch of kale, washed, de-stemmed and lightly steamed
- 1/2 c fresh basil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- juice of 1/2 small lemon
- 1/2 c roasted cashews
- 1/4 c grapeseed oil
- 1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
Place all ingredients except oil in a food processor and blend. Scrape the sides. Add the oil in a thin stream as you continue to blend until smooth. You can keep for up to a week in the fridge. It has the same versatile uses as a traditional basil pesto. It’s especially tasty in soup!
Dip
- 4 T kale pesto
- 1 c sour cream
- 1 c Greek style yoghurt
Mix all ingredients together. Serve with chopped raw vegetables, corn chips, or crisp breads. Shown served with Roasted Tomato and Capsicum Salsa (https://bakingbohemian.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/roasted-tomato-and-capsicum-salsa/)
Jen, this looks sensational. I bookmarked it to make!! Love it.
Thanks! I took it to a party last night and it was a winner!
Thanks for sharing!
Love Kristin x
I love the stuff, when I can find it. Here, it’s usually sold already chopped, which I’m less keen on. I par-boil it, then pan-fry over low heat with a little olive oil and a knob of butter toward the end. Would never have thought of it in a pesto. Sounds delicious!
Thanks for the idea, will have to try. Also thinking of trying a soup or curry with coconut milk.