The Martha's Vineyard Times

Harvest of the month: Island Grown pick is kale

By Emily Duncker
December 12, 2012

Martha's Vineyard Times File Photo

Island Grown's Harvest for December is kale, a nutritious leafy vegetable that can tolerate sub-freezing weather. A great source of vitamins A, C, and K, it is also high in calcium and iron.

The Island Grown Harvest of the Month program features a different locally available crop each month of the school year in school cafeterias, restaurants, and grocery stores.

"The goal is to help children, their caregivers and the broader community experience healthy, seasonal, whole foods based meals while supporting local and regional farmers," Noli Taylor, Island Grown Schools Coordinator, said.

"On Martha's Vineyard, kale is available at farm stands and the Farmer's Market from June through December," Ms. Taylor said.

Pick up a few bunches and steam some with dinner for a nutritious side dish.

Recipe for Kale Salad

by Chris Fischer

2 bunches of kale, stripped from stem and washed and dried well

2 tbs. olive oil

1 lemon

salt

pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl take half the kale and massage half the olive oil into it, place on a baking sheet and put in the oven. Every 8 to 10 minutes mix the kale to ensure proper crisping. The end result should be crispy like a potato chip and will take about 20 minutes. While the kale is cooking in the oven, place the remaining kale in a salad bowl, dress with remaining olive oil and start with the juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Massage the dressing into the kale well, which should be done half an hour in advance of serving to break down kale and make it tender. When kale has crisped up well in oven, remove and sprinkle with salt. Taste both for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve a bed of raw kale with crispy kale over the top.

For more information, go to islandgrown.org.