I know, I know. It’s the Beatles vs the Stones all over again. Broccoli vs. brussel sprouts. Life vs. Art (No, wait, that’s wrong.) Kale vs. Not-kale. Here’s a smoky, spicy dish I make several times a week for lunch.
Superfood or Not Superfood? Don’t care. I just like kale. I came to it late in life—what a shock, just like everything else—at the bottom of a Heartwood Bowl in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
If you agree that kale is yummy and if you like spicy food, this is your jam, so to speak.
Ingredients
- Canola cooking spray
- 3 cups raw, clean kale
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder (less is you’re a wuss)
- 2 tablespoons sweet balsamic vinegar. In my effort to avoid salt, I’ve become an aficionado of sweet balsamic vinegars as a flavory replacement. If you have a access to a Costco, Kirkwood balsamic is great. Where we are, I use Roland balsamic.
- As much Sriracha as you can stand
- You’ll also need a skillet you don’t mind getting hot.
Making Spicy Seared Kale, AKA The Doorway to Hell (You’ll see what I mean.)
Note that this is really more guidance than precise instruction.
- Spray your skillet with cooking oil.
- Pack in the kale. (3 cups is about what I get into my skillet.)
- Spray some more canola vapor on top.
- Turn the skillet to High (This is how you know I’m not a real cook.)
- Turn on the fan to avoid family complaints.
- Sprinkle garlic powder over the kale as it sears.
- Get your vinegar handy.
- Stir the kale—some of the garlic makes contact with the skillet bottom.
- Stand back— it’s going to get smoky and sizzle up in here
- Distribute the vinegar over the kale. The vintage starts to caramelize.
- Remove the skillet from the hot burner.
- Add as much Sriracha as you think you can handle.
- Stir.
- Eat.
