Creamed Kale with Chestnuts
By Rebeccah MarstersPublished on August 4, 2014
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
You will need approximately six bunches of curly kale for this recipe (it cooks down considerably). If you wash the kale before you cook it, be sure to dry it thoroughly, as overly wet kale will alter the recipe’s cooking times. Buy chestnuts that are roasted and peeled and not packed in water or syrup. This recipe is easily cut in half to serve four; wilting the kale in step 1 will take only about half of the time.
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups broth and 3/4 teaspoon salt to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Gradually add kale, covering pot and letting each addition wilt to make room before adding more, using tongs to turn and stir (this will take about 10 minutes). When all kale has been added to pot, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is fully wilted and bottom of pot is nearly dry, 5 to 10 minutes; transfer kale to bowl. Wipe out pot with paper towels.
- Melt butter in now-empty pot over medium heat. Add chestnuts, shallots, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, uncovered, until shallots have softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add cream and return to boil.
- Add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 7 to 9 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish. Serve with lemon wedges.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For a creamy vegetable dish that wasn’t cloyingly rich or stodgy, we nixed traditional béchamel sauce in favor of simple cream. Wilting the kale little by little allows us to fit a hefty 3½ pounds into one pot, and using chicken broth adds savory depth. Shallots, garlic, and chestnuts—precooked for convenience—flavor the kale, along with red pepper flakes for heat. Finally, grated Parmesan thickens the sauce and infuses the kale with nutty, cheesy flavor, while a pinch of fresh nutmeg and a squeeze of lemon add the finishing touches.
Before You Begin
You will need approximately six bunches of curly kale for this recipe (it cooks down considerably). If you wash the kale before you cook it, be sure to dry it thoroughly, as overly wet kale will alter the recipe’s cooking times. Buy chestnuts that are roasted and peeled and not packed in water or syrup. This recipe is easily cut in half to serve four; wilting the kale in step 1 will take only about half of the time.
Instructions
- Bring 2 cups broth and 3/4 teaspoon salt to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Gradually add kale, covering pot and letting each addition wilt to make room before adding more, using tongs to turn and stir (this will take about 10 minutes). When all kale has been added to pot, reduce heat to medium-high, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is fully wilted and bottom of pot is nearly dry, 5 to 10 minutes; transfer kale to bowl. Wipe out pot with paper towels.
- Melt butter in now-empty pot over medium heat. Add chestnuts, shallots, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, uncovered, until shallots have softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add cream and return to boil.
- Add kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 7 to 9 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish. Serve with lemon wedges.
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