KALE

WATCH DEBBIE COOK


DEBBIE THOMAS: "WE HAVE A FARM IN PASO TEN ACRES AND A LOT OF WHAT WE’RE GROWING FOR INSTANCE THIS IS TUSCAN KALE OR WHAT IS CALLED DINOSAUR KALE  OR CAVOLA NERO IS SOME OF THE GREENS. WE HAVE OVER 800 FRUIT TREES AND SO WE TRY TO INCOPRORATE WHAT WE HAVE  ON THE FARM INTO OUR MENU.
 WE’RE GOING TO START OUT WITH A LITTLE BIT OF OIL. THIS IS VERY VERY HIGH IN NUTRIENTS.IN FACT IT HAS 17 PERCENT MORE VITAMIN C THAN CARROTS WHICH IS GREAT AND FOUR TIMES MORE THAN SPINACH. YOU PUT JUST THIS AMOUNT OF OIL IN. YES. AND JUST ENOUGH TO COAT THE KALE. LOW TO MEDIUM HEAT BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO SCORCH THIS BECAUSE IT’S VERY TENDER VERY DELICATE. AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS THROW IN THE GARLIC AND WHAT THIS DOES IS JUST REALLY IMPARTS SOME FLAVOR INTO THE PAN.  TAKE SOME LEAVES. YOU CAN SEE HOW LARGE THIS KALE IS- IT CAN GROW FROM TWO TO THREE FEET HIGH. IF YOU USE THE THICKER LEAVES,THE LONGER LEAVES YOU WANT TO TAKE THE LEAVES OFF OF THE STEMS. ACTUALY CUT THEM OFF . THE SMALLER ONES WHICH YOU CAN JUST THROW THEM RIGHT INTO THE PAN.  IT’S TENDERNESS ISSUE. WHEN THEY GET THIS BIG THEY GET HARD THE STEMS DO SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU TAKE THE LEAVES OFF FIRST. TASTE OF KALE IS SIMILAR TO SPINACH BUT IT’S A LITTLE MORE BITTER. AND WE KIND OF TAKE AWAY A LITTLE BIT OF THE BITTERNESS AT THE END WITH SOME VINEGAR.WE DO IS THROW THE KALE IN AND WHAT WE DO IS MAKE SURE THAT GETS COATED IN OIL.  IF YOU COOK IT THE KALE TOO MUCH IT ACTUALLY TURNS BROWN. SO YOU’VE GOT TO LET IT COOK FOR JUST THREE TO FOUR MINUTES IN THE GARLIC AND THEN WHAT WE DO AGAIN IS YOU CAN SEE THE STEAM COMING UP A LITTLE BIT SO YOU CAN KEEP TURNING THAT AROUND. IT’S VERY EASY AND THEN AS IT COOKS WE PUT IN THE VINEGAR AND THIS ALSO HELPS COOK BECAUSE IF YOU NOTICE AS I PUT IN THE STEAM WILL COME UP. AND THE STEAM ACTUALLY HELPS COOK THE KALE. AND JUST LIKE THAT AND I’M GOING TO PUT SOME OF THE VINEGAR IN. BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND WE USE PEDRO ROMERO. THE BETTER THE OIL AND VINEGAR THE BETTER THE KALE WILL TASTE.  I’M WILTING IT AND IT’S PROBABLY JUST AT THE POINT NOW THAT I WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SALT HERE. JUST LIKE THAT TO ADD A LITTLE FLAVOR. AND IT’S DONE. YOU DON’T WANT TO OVER COOK IT.  BECAUSE LIKE I SAID IT WILL TURN BROWN. YOU DON’T WANT IT SOFT AND SOGGY IT’S KIND OF IN BETWEEN.
THOMAS HILL ORGANICS AND BISTRO IS OPEN SUNDAY MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY 11 TO 7 AND THURSDAY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY 11 TO 8. AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT YOU SELL TO CONSUMERS? WE HAVE A C-S-A PROGRAM WHATEVER WE HAVE ON THE FARM WE PUT IN A BASKET AND WE SELL IT TO OUR CUSTOMERS WHO COME INTO OUR BISTRO. THAT’S GREAT.  WE HAVE A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER.  SERVE IT ALONGSIDE? BEEF. FISH ANYTHING YOU WOULD SERVE A SPINACH WITH.
RIGHT WINE TO RESPRESENT THEM ALL. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE PRESSURE?
THIS YEAR’S ZINMASTER IS ALEX VILLICANA OF VILLICANA WINERY…WHO WAS NOT ONLY HONORED TO BE GIVEN THE ASSIGNMENT BUT LOOKED FORWARD TO IT!