- Kales and collards are good year-round but are best after a cold spell. They develop sweetness after the cold.
- The leaves should be supple and seem succulent rather than leathery.
- For Russian kale, choose bunches that have the largest leaf-to-stem ratio you can find while avoiding “mature” plants with leathery leaves.
- Stemming Russian kale can be a lot of work. Try using your fingers first, and if that doesn’t work, use a sharp paring knife.
- Use your fingers to strip leaves from stems for curly kale and Lacinato. Make a ring of your thumb and index finger, place the middle joint of the index finger over the top of the stem near the base and grasp the base with the other hand, then pull the “ring” up the length of the stem. This should work, but if not, use a thin sharp knife.
- To store winter greens, wrap them in paper towels and place them in a plastic bag or a large plastic box. Russian kale has the shortest shelf life of 3-5 days, collards next with 4-7 days, and store Lacinato and curly kale up to 8 or 9 days. Before storing, I strip the leaves from the collards, then stack and roll them and put them into the box in the refrigerator. Prepping the leafy greens and kale before storage speeds up making dinner during the week. To use, just submerge in a large bowl of cold water and shake to remove dirt. Lift the leaves out of the water, and repeat. Cut up and cook.
- If you have curly kale or collards that look limp or tired, soak leaves in cold water for ten minutes to revive them.
- When choosing Lacinato kale, look for leaves that are not too shiny, nor too “crisp” in texture. I find these cook up stringy, and no amount of cooking seems to break this texture down.
- Curly kale and Cavolo Nero or Lacinato are great in leftovers. Use in soups or make into a gratin or frittata.
- Here’s a guide to prepping kale — it’s so easy!
KALE RECIPES: Kale Salad with Mango, Avocado, and Hazelnuts, Golden Beets and Kale Salad with Cilantro Orange Dressing, Kale and Italian Sausage Penne with Lemon Cream Sauce, Braised Kale and Pippin Apples, Kale-Apple Coleslaw, Basic Braised Kale
