Wk 13/Meal 2: Spaghetti with braised kale

So it's been ages since I've updated and I've managed to fall overwhelmingly behind. 14 posts behind, to be exact. But that was a predictable situation, given my busy end of summer, my waning attention span and my propensity for laziness. One time I thought it would be a good idea to sit on an exercise ball at work instead of a desk chair. That lasted like four days. I've already exceeded my own expectations with this blog.

This is an odd entry to start with, considering it's neither the next meal, chronologically, or a particularly great one. But it was simple and I happened to have the photo handy, so here we go.

This meal was a one-time solution to the two problems that were common with this experiment: too much food, too little time. I often I found myself with a fridge full of something-or-other (this time, kale) that was on the verge of going bad and didn't present any exciting meal ideas.

My go-to source for recipes, epicurious.com, had this to offer.


Spaghetti with braised kale

Ingredients
1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pound spaghetti
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1] Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.
2] Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.
3] Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes.
4] Add sliced garlic and sprinkle with salt; cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
5] Add kale and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until wilted, about 3 minutes. Cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue cooking until kale is very tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry, about 20 minutes.
6] Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
7] Add cooked spaghetti to kale mixture in pot. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonfuls if dry. Sprinkle spaghetti with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

***

I halved the recipe and added, as I often do, white cannelini beans for protein. I used whole wheat pasta which was probably a mistake-- the heavy texture and grainy taste overpowered what little flavor the dish had. I think fresh or rice pasta would have been much better. I also added shredded parmesan to the top for more oomph.

Verdict: Not terrifically exciting, but a great use of kale and a simple, healthy vegetarian dish. It's nice to have pasta options that aren't Italian. I'd probably make this again but kick up the lemon juice and use a lighter pasta.