June 2009 Herb of the Month - Kale
Brassica oleracea var. acephala

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the Brassica family, a group of vegetables that include cabbage, broccoli, collards and Brussels sprouts. Like broccoli, cauliflower and collards, kale is a descendent of the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in Asia Minor and to have been brought to Europe around 600 B.C.

This family of vegetables has gained recent widespread attention due to their health promoting, sulfur-containing phytonutrients.

Kale is a biennial plant, is easy to grow and enjoys the cold weather, here in S.E Qld we grow it through winter, and while it will continue through the hot summer it loses its vigour and is more susceptible to aphid attack.

Kale is a nutritious and delicious winter green. It can be used in much the same way as spinach and cabbage.

Throughout Europe and beyond Kale has been used to make many traditional dishes. The Portuguese do a soup with potatoes, olive oil, broth, and cooked spicy sausage. In Ireland kale is mixed with mashed potatoes to make the traditional dish colcannon.The Dutch also enjoy kale with potatoes in a dish called stamppot, sometimes adding bacon to add more flavour. The Germans enjoy kale, sausage and schnapps. Kale is eaten throughout southeastern Africa, typically boiled with coconut milk and ground peanut and served with rice or boiled cornmeal.
 
The young leaves can be shredded and added to salads, try it mixed with some goats cheese, semi dried tomatoes and toasted pine nuts, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Or try it with a roasted beetroot salad topped with toasted sesame seeds, and a dressing with orange zest, juice, olive oil and garlic. Kale can be added to soups, stews, omelets, quiches and flans. I make a spinach and ricotta pie and use kale instead of the spinach, I also use it as a layer in a vegetable lasagna mixed with other herbs such as parsley/sage/thyme or alliums such as leeks. Kale can also be served as a side vegetable to a meal, sauté it with onions or garlic.

Use the leaves along with your favorite vegetables to make a nutritious drink. Kales nutritional profile is very impressive; it has one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any vegetable. Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and the essential amino acid tryptophan. Kale also contains good sources of many other vitamin and minerals.

Siberian Kale	Red Russian Kale
Dwarf Blue Kale	Black Tuscan Kale