Braised Cavolo Negro

From OSR

Cavolo Negro is the Italian name for dinosaur kale. The recipe is adapted from one in Saveur Magazine.

Ingredients

dinosaur kale (cavolo negro)

a good amount of garlic

red chili flakes

olive oil or fat (lard or duck fat) for sauteing)

optional:

stock

a little meat like bacon, ham hock or duck confit

anchovies (add at the beginning with the garlic) or fish sauce (a dash at the end of cooking)

Directions

In a dry pan toast the fennel seeds. When they become fragrant, dump them into a mortar and pestle and grind them. In the same pan, saute the garlic in the olive oil or fat. Add the ground fennel and the chili flakes and stir. Add the kale in fistfulls with a little salt, sauteing as you go to wilt it. Add the meat, if using, then pour in hot water or stock, not so much that it will still be soupy after 30 minutes. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. If it is still watery after 30 minutes push the kale to the side and boil the excess liquid off. Serve.

If the heat is high and the stock is hot, the kale will remain bright green. Alternatively you can add the stock (or water) first, then wait until it is boiling to add the kale. If you want the kale to retain its color make sure that it does not cool below a simmer after it hits the pan.