Sauteed Kale with Caramelized Onion

Kale, originally uploaded by Kim De.

As a child my palate wasn't very adventurous - in all fairness I grew up in the Midwest where there wasn't much exposure to bold flavors. An advantage to moving a lot as an adult has been the opportunity to expand my horizons. I love it and the adventure continues.

Last weekend we went to Asheville NC. Our first morning we had breakfast at The Green Sage, a cafe proud of its use of local food and sustainable practices. We had an amazing breakfast including eggs, biscuits with portobello gravy (YUM!) and a side of Kale with Caramelized Onions. This was our first stab at kale. I have to tell you, it was fabulous. It had a slight bitter flavor countered with the sweetness of the onions. Immediately it became something we had to try at home!

Some internet research found several recipes that seemed close so I combined and tinkered and came up with what you see below.

If you like greens, this would work with others (i.e.spinach) but I think you should try the kale first. You might also be a convert!

Sauteed Kale With Caramelized Onions

1 bunch kale, washed and torn (stems removed)
1 small onion, sliced into rings
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Heat oil in large pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook for two minutes, stirring frequently. Turn the heat down to medium low (or low depending on your stove). Cover and cook until the onions are soft and caramelized, stirring occasionally, approximately 45 minutes. Use right away, or refrigerate and heat back up, following the rest of the steps.

Add chopped garlic and saute until garlic is soft, being careful not to burn it.

Add kale, salt and pepper and cook until kale begins to wilt. Stir in balsamic vinegar and toss.