It wasn't until I was well into my third decade of life that I fell in love with greens. Turnip, kale, collard - it doesn't matter which. They're all equally as good, extremely good for you and can be used interchangeably in most every recipe.
Luckily, since they are now so trendy, it's easy to find them on menus in the fanciest of restaurants, prepared by chefs in creative ways. Where once they were reduced to nothing more than diner fare, often cooked beyond recognition, you now find them in salads, on sandwiches, blended with pastas and tossed in soups, to name a few of the foods in which they can be used.
I read an article a year ago that kale, arguably the trendiest of all greens, was moving down the ladder of popularity in favor of celery root, beet greens and other earthy fare. However, I've yet to see it removed from any menus. If anything, chefs have simply added the new ones without taking kale away. Or they're combining kale with other trendy ingredients, such as this recipe from the Cooking Channel, which marries kale with Brussels sprouts and celery root. It's a triple play of food trends and, as greens are known to do, is sure to bring you luck if eaten on New Year's Day. Happy 2017 to you all.
Brussels Sprouts, Kale and Celery Root Gratin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
1 1/2 cups coarse whole-wheat breadcrumbs or plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons sliced fresh chives
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 medium celery root (about 12 ounces), peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
One 7-ounce ham steak, cut into 1/2-inch dice, optional
2 medium shallots, sliced
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces), stemmed and sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Whisk together the mustard and remaining butter in a medium bowl, then mix in the breadcrumbs, parsley, chives, 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.
Heat the cream and stock in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery root, bring to a simmer and cook until tender, 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ham, if using, and cook until lightly browned, 5 minutes, then stir in the shallots and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until bright green and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring, until it's beginning to wilt, another 3 minutes, then pour in the apple cider vinegar and cook until absorbed. Remove from the heat.
Layer the bottom of the baking dish with celery root slices, then spread the Brussels-sprout mixture evenly over the top. Pour the cooking liquid from the celery root over the Brussels sprouts.
Bake until the top of the gratin begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top; continue baking until the breadcrumbs are toasted and the gratin is bubbling around the edges, 15 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.