Kale Chips

I view each new produce delivery as a new sort of adventure. I've made limited use of the substitutions, only omitting zucchini (though that worked against me) and the occasional item I haven't yet used up from the previous delivery.

Last week I arranged for an extra delivery -- extra meaning a delivery in our off week. Due to a computer glitch, we ended up with two boxes. There is an abundance of produce in the house right now. Here's what we ended up with:

2 bunches broccoli

2 bunches carrots

1 leek

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

2 mangoes

3 naval oranges

2 romaine lettuce

2 bunches spinach

8 Braeburn apples

2 avocado

6 bananas

8 Danjou pears

2 pints strawberries

1 pound zucchini

1 green chard

And I still had a few items including some fruit and kale from the previous deliver. Plus, Mike's been cooped up at home with tight deadlines. It's been a little strange here lately.

The greens are one item that I'm really not used to cooking or eating. I had some fantastic collards in Sough Carolina and did try to mimic that recipe with little success (I'll keep trying). So far, my favorite thing to do with the greens is saute them with sausage -- just basic Hillshire Farms Polish sausage.

I've been seeing the recipe for kale chips floating around and decide I had to give it a shot when a friend of ours mentioned that she was itching to try it. During our conversation, we both said that we loved to check out Smitten Kitchen for new recipes. Lo and behold, not a few days later, SK posted a recipe for Baked Kale Chips.

Today, with the fridge literally bursting with green leafy veggies, I decided it was time to try kale chips. Um, can I just say that these things are incredible. I had my doubts. Kale chips. As I was tasting my third one, I told Mike I didn't think I'd ever sit down with a bowl of kale chips and dip and replace them for potato chips. Then I ate the rest of the pan!

I followed SK's recipe pretty closely, except for the oil. I'm a bit olive oil nut (thanks, Dad). I'm thinking that this recipe has possibilities far beyond plain grocery store extra virgin. For this batch, I used Olivar de Luna, which I originally purchased at Oliv You & Me in Boulder. I've since seen it at Whole Foods, though. I'm dying for Oliv to get more Merula in stock. I think that would be an excellent oil to use on these chips since it's got a nice, surprisingly spicy bite at the end.

Another variation I'm going to try next time I get kale in is Round Pond's Blood Orange Olive Oil.

So here's my slight variation on Smitten Kitchen's Baked Kale Chips

1 bunch kale (I did use a curly variety)

1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (use a good one)

Sea salt

Preheat oven to 300. Cut the stalk from the center of the kale leaves and then tear or cut into chip sized pieces. Toss half the kale with 3/4 tbsp olive oil and spread over a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt, to taste -- watch this, I found my first batch to be a bit too salty even for me, and there wasn't much there at all. Bake 20 minutes.

When the kale is done (crispy like a chip) remove from oven and repeat with the remaining half batch.

I dare you not to eat a whole pan by yourself.