How to cook lacinato kale

• Before cooking lacinato kale you need to clean it thoroughly. Lacinato kale is characterized by dark green, slightly bluish, elongated and blistered leaves that at the time of purchase should be firm without yellow or burned spots.

• So wash the lacinato kale well and pat it dry with paper towels. Then take each single leaf by the central rib with your left hand and with your right hand pull upward firmly.

  This way you’ll have the green leaf without the central rib in your right hand and the central rib in your left hand. I recommend not throwing away the ribs because they are also great for making a good vegetable broth or a kale pesto.

• Now that you have the cleaned kale leaves you can decide whether to cook them whole or cut into strips.

  Lacinato kale can be boiled in plenty of lightly salted water for at least 15 minutes starting from boiling, then drain it, quickly pass it under cold water to set the color and stop the cooking.

• You can also cook the kale by steaming. Put about 2 finger-widths of water in a pot, place the steam basket above and add the kale leaves whole or cut into pieces.

  Cook them for at least 20 minutes.

• To make stewed kale without boiling or steaming first, simply clean the leaves, heat in a deep skillet 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and one whole clove of garlic.

  Add the kale leaves whole or cut into pieces and let them sauté for 5 minutes, then deglaze with a little white wine and let it evaporate.

  At this point add 1 glass of water and finish cooking, stirring occasionally, for at least 20 minutes. Great served as a side dish; season with salt at the end.

• Finally, you can make kale pan-fried: first steam or boil it, then squeeze out excess water and chop it. Pan-fry with one clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and, if you like, add boiled potatoes cut into pieces and some chili pepper.

  Salt towards the end of cooking.