Name: Slow-Cooker Braised Kale, Fennel, and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Total time: 4 h
Ingredients: 1 pound kale , stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 fennel bulbs , stalks discarded, bulbs halved, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick; 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth; 1 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes , rinsed, patted dry, and chopped coarse; 6 garlic cloves , minced; Salt and pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (1/2 cup); 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup pine nuts , toasted

Why This Recipe Works

To prepare our kale for the slow cooker, we cut it into pieces and tossed it in along with chopped onion, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes. This combination tasted good, but swapping out the onion for fennel promised a more filling and flavorful dish. Rather than water, we used vegetable broth for our cooking liquid, which imparted salty, savory notes to our sauce. For some much-needed brightness, we added chopped sun-dried tomatoes. A big drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil along with some grated Parmesan enriched this fairly lean sauce, and toasted pine nuts offered a welcome crunch. We stirred these last ingredients in just before serving so that their flavors wouldn't dull in the slow cooker.

Before You Begin

Be sure to use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil here.

Instructions

Lightly coat slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Combine kale, fennel, broth, tomatoes, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and pepper flakes in prepared slow cooker. Cover and cook until kale is tender, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.

Stir in Parmesan, oil, and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.