Sunday, October 16, 2011

Cavalo Nero....

Say it with me - "ca-va-lo nero" or if you prefer "Nero-di-Tos-ca-na"...sounds romantic doesn't it? And no, I am not learning Italian, but rather falling in love with this "old fashioned" Italian cabbage.

While it looks like spinach it is actually part of the kale family and kale is part of the cabbage family and cabbage is a brassica...so there you are. Let's say it again "Cavalo Nero".

With veggies the rule is the darker the leaf the more nutrition it has and some call this "black cabbage" too so just think of all the nutrients that are packed into this humble cut and come again veggie.

My youngest will say it is a vile veggie, but he thinks most veggies are vile and I know he will outgrow it like the rest did. Poor him...I overplanted this veggie and have about 50 plants which will keep producing ALL YEAR LONG (wicked grin!)

Cavalo Nero can be cooked just like spinach but it does need a little longer to cook. You can also serve it like spinach -

~with butter and nutmeg
~in a cream sauce
~as a nest to serve schnitzel on
~in quiche
~in omlette

Or like I did yesterday....

Eggs Benedict - poached eggs, hollandaise sauce on lightly toasted bruschetta and a bed of Cavalo Nero which had been sweatted in butter and whole garlic cloves. Delicious.

4 comments:

Lois Evensen said...

The eggs benedict look wonderful. We have them here on board with salmon added as a special breakfast for Diamond members. Yum!

Anonymous said...

Kale is on my list of things to grow next year. I love the flavour and I don't have to convince anyone to eat it, they like it too. It's one of nature's super foods.

Cath said...

Yummy, officially my favourite veg. Where did you get it?

Urban Homestead South Africa said...

Catherine, I grew it from seed and have lots left. I will post you some. XX