Cutting four heads of Cavolo Nero all at the same time might sound like a lot, since there are only two of us to eat it, but in truth the "heads" were very small - just the tips of the plants with 10 or 12 smallish leaves each. The plants were beginning to flower and really needed using up.
As it happens, the demise of the last Cavolo Nero was well-timed, since I need the bed in which they were living to be freed-up for Broad Beans, which I always sow in mid-February.
Since we had no immediate plans for cooking the Cavolo Nero I put it in a plastic Stayfesh bag, in the fridge, which will keep it in good condition for at least a fortnight. Meanwhile I'll just sit back and admire some more of my photos of this fascinating vegetable!
OK then, Cavolo Nero, let this not be "Farewell", but rather "See you again soon"! I'm sure to be sowing seeds for more of you in a couple of months' time.
Talk about cut and come again what a versatile plant
ReplyDeleteI love Cavolo Nero. Will you be showing how you use this up? I could do with some pointers seeing as I usually have it on the side of my plate with a roast.
ReplyDeleteJo, if you use the search facility on my blog, you will see several ideas for cooking with Cavolo Nero - such as stirred into soft polenta or cooked with pasta in a garlicky cream sauce.
DeleteI grew kale once and it just sat in my garden and went to seed cos I couldn't think of what to do with it. But I think I will give it a go again. I got a dehydrator for Christmas and kale chips are supposed to be great. I did silverbeet chips and they were good but not quite strong enough. Cavolo Nero is a type of kale isnt it?
ReplyDeleteMark, I am sitting here very envious you have Kale! If I have a lot growing in the garden, I whiz it in the food processor and freeze it flat in baggies to put in soup all winter long breaking off bits when I need it.(I have also made Kimchi with it) So, tonight, realized, making lentil/dal soup..all gone. Nothing but chard in the freezer (doesn't have the rich earthiness of kale in my view). Kale changes a bean or lentil soup to extraordinary, especially if mushrooms are added. But I know you already know that ))
ReplyDeleteAs always, your photos are wonderful.
I think that my Cavolo Nero are also on their way out having been in the ground since last April.Cooked some of the "tops" last week and they were quite tender.
ReplyDeleteI'll be trying out some other kales as well this year but can't help thinking that the Cavolo Nero is a stand out crop for taste and looks,another one being red chard.
I first grew the curly leaf kale and last year grew the Italian type kale. I just love the look of the Italian kale. they are so beautiful. My new favorite recipe is to stir fry them with some mushroom and wheat berry. Really delicious.
ReplyDeleteA so the cycle continues :)
ReplyDeleteWhen my Cavolo Nero bolted I'm sure people told me I could eat the flowerheads. i never did though as by the time I got around to them the aphids had beaten me too it.
ReplyDeleteI really need to get on & remove mine. I will have a search for your recipe regarding the kale with pasta & garlic cream sauce.
ReplyDeleteYou kale looks beautiful. Mine is still covered in snow, but the snow is melting quickly.
ReplyDeleteAnother sign that spring is coming!
ReplyDeleteMine has bit the dust as well Mark - goodbye dear friend - everything to its season.
ReplyDeleteYour cavolo nero looks wonderful, it's a fabulous veggie to grow isn't it - provides nutrients in depths of winter in all sorts of dishes(some of mine is in pesto in the fridge and I had minestrone with it in at lunchtime) easy to grow and I always think it looks great too. Especially towards the end of summer with lots of calendula growing around it.
ReplyDelete