It’s been fun over the past couple of weekends, visiting local farmers markets…my favorites right now are the Berkeley FM and the Temescal Market!  I do love the SF Ferry Building market but it’s just so hard to get to for those of us who are the “in-denial bridge and tunnel” crowd.

One of my latest favorite vegetables is the dinosaur kale, also known as cavolo nero (which you have to say it with a fake Italian accent).  My typical answer to kale or any bitter greens is bacon, pancetta or any other salted pork product.  However, with our continued focused on healthy eating and taking advantage of the winter harvests of local bounties, here’s something for you to try:

Dinosaur Kale and Caramelized Spring Shallots

1 bunch of dinosaur kale, roughly chopped

3 spring shallots (or spring red onions), thinly sliced diagonally

1 T olive oil

1 T garlic, finely minced

½ t red pepper flakes

½ t kosher salt

1. Blanch the kale in boiling salted water for 1 minute; remove and place on paper towels to soak up some of the water
2. Dry the pan and return to stove.  Add shallots and olive oil and sauté over medium until onions are lightly caramelized, add the garlic and continue to cook until the garlic is lightly browned as well
3. Add the kale, peppers and salt to the pan and sauté for another 1-2 minutes

Note: If you’re a bacon lover like us, add cooked/crumbled bacon or pancetta to make this dish even more delicious!