This elegant main dish is delicious, and elegant enough to serve for company!
Preparation Time: About an hour but well worth it!
Preparation:
Braised Kale and Spaghetti
• 1 pound lacinato kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. We prefer Lacinato kale to other varieties, it’s texture and taste is perfect for this recipe.
• 3 T. vegetable stock for sautéing the onion and garlic
• 2 large onions – finely chopped
• 8 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti (Bella Terra Brand works very well)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• Finely grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation :
Rinse kale. Drain; transfer to bowl with some water still clinging.
Heat the vegetable stock in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Slowly sauté the sliced garlic until it is light golden brown. This takes about 5 minutes. Do not burn the garlic.
Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. This is the part of the recipe that can take the longest but it’s worth every minute to make a delicious and beautiful dinner. Cook the onion VERY slowly. This is a needed adaptation when not using oil. Keep the onion and garlic moist by adding vegetable stock as needed. The addition of a little white wine here also adds flavor.(consider using the wine you add here as a dinner wine to perfectly compliment this dish)
Steam the kale in a separate pan with vegetable broth on the bottom of the pan. Continue adding kale a little at a time as the kale wilts. Continue adding vegetable broth as needed until kale is fully wilted.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in medium pot of boiling water until tender but still firm to bite (al dente pasta has a lower glycemic index which is much better for you) stirring occasionally. Before draining the pasta, reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Transfer the cooked spaghetti to a large serving bowl, add kale and the garlic and onion mixture, combine ingredients by tossing together using tongs. Add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid; toss again to combine, adding more liquid by tablespoonful if dry.
Enjoy!