It’s been a little quiet on Ant & Anise lately. Kind of like a post-holiday rest, only it came at the end of January instead of the beginning. Did you miss us, just a little bit? Awww, thanks.
With the holidays clearly over and done with, we’re back into regular routines, more or less. And I’ve been thinking about dinner. As in, how much I rely on a small repertoire of dishes on busy weeknights.
I love to experiment in the kitchen, really I do. And I try out new recipes regularly.
But when it’s 5 o’clock on a Wednesday night and I think what on earth am I going to make for dinner that’s quick, healthy and will taste good?……it’s those times when the tried-and-true recipes muscle their way to the top of my thoughts.
This sautéed kale is one of those staples I can count on. First up, it’s easy. It’s also reliably tasty, with the softened garlic and squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It’s healthy — heck, kale is a superfood, right? It’s fast, as in less than 5 minutes to put together. And it goes with most every main dish — fish, chicken, beef, lamb — you name it.
It’s like the ultimate winter side dish.
I can make this without a recipe, and bet I could make it in my sleep, if I were a sleepwalking type who wandered into the kitchen, hungry for greens. And you can too. Here’s how:
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Thai chili, finely sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chicken stock or water
- zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
- kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse kale and tear leaves from the stalks. Smash the garlic with the side of a large chef knife or cleaver.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic cloves and chili, and stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic and chili pieces are softened.
- Add the kale to the sauté pan and stir. (If you have tongs, use these to pick up and jostle the kale leaves around. If you don't have tongs, run to your nearest kitchen store and get some -- they're a fantastic tool!)
- Add the chicken stock (or water) and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the kale has softened and turned a gorgeous bright green. Stir in the lemon zest and juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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