I’m not really sure how to write about ‘kale season’ without it sounding completely depressing.
To capitalise on such a season, it requires butter. And garlic.
…And more butter.
This is an easy and delicious way to use this (mostly tasteless…) vegetable in its prime.
White fish with a kale & roasted leek butter sauce, pasta, grilled tomatoes & toasted almonds, and purple sprouting broccoli is a solid all-rounder. Switch up the white fish as you please, as the sauce pairs perfectly with anything from haddock through to monkfish.
Shopping list (serves 4)
Leek & kale sauce:
Large leeks (roughly chopped) x 2
Kale x 200g
Spinach x 200g
Garlic cloves (diced) x 6
Unsalted butter (chilled & cubed) x 75g
Fresh mint leaves x 40g
Extra virgin olive oil x 2 tbsp
Zest of two lemons
Charred tomato & almonds:
Almond flakes (toasted) x 50g
Cherry tomatoes (halved) x 50g
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Cod loin portions (roughly 200g each) x 4
Unsalted butter x 1 tbsp
Salt
Purple sprouting broccoli (roughly chopped) x 200g
Tagliatelle (or other pasta) x 400g
Extra virgin olive oil to serve
Start by setting your oven to 180°C. In a roasting tray, cook the leeks and garlic cloves, with lashings of oil and salt for 15 minutes, until soft. Retain the tough stalks from the kale, and throw them in with the leeks for another 10 minutes.
At the same time, use a large saucepan with a lid, to steam or shallow-boil the kale leaves for five minutes, over a high heat. Add the spinach, and cover again, turning off the heat as you go.
Drain the green leaves, and return them to the saucepan with the leeks from the oven. Add in the lemon zest, mint, olive oil and butter. Emulsify with a hand blender until smooth. Set to one side, and keep warm. Season well with salt.
Turn your grill on, and place the tomatoes on a baking tray with oil, salt and black pepper. Leave the tray under the hot grill for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have started to caramelise evenly. Remove, and mix with more olive oil, and the toasted almond flakes.
On the same tray, place the purple sprouting broccoli. Season lightly with salt, and place under the grill for 8 minutes.
At the same time, cook the pasta as per the packet instructions in salted boiling water.
In a large frying pan, heat the 25g of butter with a glug of oil, over a high heat. Season the fish with salt.
When the fish hits the pan, turn the heat down to medium and fry for 6 minutes. Flip the fish portions over, and turn off the heat. Leave to cook in the pan for a further minute. Remove, and allow to rest for a minute or two.
Strain the pasta, retaining some of the cooking water. Add in the green sauce, and mix well. Season to taste with black pepper.
Serve together with the fish, alongside the tomatoes and toasted almonds, and the grilled broccoli.
Finish with a drizzle of your best olive oil.
Enjoy!x
Food and Tunes 