Tofu with Swiss Chard, Kale and Yogurt Sauce

Summer is in full swing here in Texas.  Afternoon temperatures reach 100° every day, and we've had an unusally dry month.   The eggplants and basil are thriving, which is to be expected, but so are vegetables we left for dead several months ago.  This includes escarole, wild chicory, Tuscan kale and Swiss chard plants.    The kale and chard plants are actually quite full and beautiful right now even though they shouldn't be given our hot, dry weather.

We prepared a combination of kale and chard for a lovely side dish topped with a thick yogurt sauce.  We loved the cooked greens so much, the next night we decided to harvest more kale and chard, and then add tofu and rice to convert this side dish into a meal.    It was quite a surprise to be enjoying homegrown kale and chard twice in June, but we found the combination of the cooked greens, tofu, rice and yogurt to be a perfect summer dinner.   We highly recommend either version the next time you are lucky enough to find Swiss chard and lacinato kale.

Tofu with Swiss Chard, Kale and Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

3/4          lb            extra-firm tofu
                              peanut oil
2             cups         jasmine rice
1                            red pepper
1              lb            Swiss chard, stems removed and choped
1              lb            Lacinato kale, stems removed and chopped
2              Tbs         olive oil
2              cloves     garlic, minced
1              cup         Greek-style non-fat or low-fat yogurt
1/4           cup         tahini
3              Tbs         fresh lemon juice
3              cloves      garlic, minced
1              Tbs          olive oil
1/4           tsp          crushed red pepper
1               Tbs         flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Procedure

1. Cook rice.
2. Place tofu between several sheets of paper towel, then place a plate on top, and weigh the place down with something heavy.  Leave for about 15 minutes for water to drain out, then remove paper towels and cut tofu into 1" cubes.
3. Heat peanut oil over medium high heat, then fry tofu until golden brown.  Flip and repeat.  When cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
4. Roast the red pepper over a gas flame or in the oven under the broiler until it is charred all over.  Place in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes.  Remove as much skin as possible, seed, then cut into small pieces.
5. Heat 2 Tbs olive oil over moderate heat, then add two of the minced garlic cloves.  Cook about 1 minute, then add chard and kale and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Add red pepper and cook another minute or two.  Remove from heat and let cool.
6. In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice and 3 minced garlic cloves.  Season with sea salt, then set aside.
7. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium heat, then add crushed red pepper and cook until it begins to sizzle, about 10 seconds.  Remove immediately from heat and, when cool, combine with yogurt sauce.
8. Toss cooked greens with tofu, then serve on a bed of rice.  Add dollup of yogurt sauce on top, and serve with more on the side.

Printable Recipe

Crispy Kale and Tofu with Brown Rice and Coconut

Lacinato kale goes by many names, including Cavolo Nero, dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale and black kale.   It is a beautiful leafy green to include in the garden thanks to its striking texture and unusual blue color.   It is a fairly versatile vegetable as well, working in any number of soups, stir fries, pastas and flatbreads.  People are so passionate about kale that there are several websites devoted solely to this leafy green.*

Kale is featured in many types of ethnic cooking including Italian, West African, Portuguese and Spanish.  Here, we use kale in an amazing dish created by Heidi Swanson that is influenced by Asian flavors.  The recipe features crispy kale on a bed of brown rice and tofu.  No one will miss eating meat when this amazing vegan dish is served.

Crispy Lacinato Kale and Tofu with Brown Rice and Coconut

Ingredients

1            cup           short-grain brown rice
1/3         cup           olive oil
1            tsp            toasted sesame oil
2            Tbs           soy sauce
1            lbs            lacinato kale, washed, stems and 
                             thick ribs removed, leaves chopped
1/2         cup          unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2         lb             extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/4" cubes
                             sea salt

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350° and place shelves in upper and lower thirds of oven.
2. Combine rice with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to a simmer for 35 minutes, or until rice is tender.
3. Whisk together olive oil, sesame oil and soy sauce.  Reserve 1/3 of the dressing, then combine remaining with kale, coconut and tofu.  Toss well, then spread in a single layer on 2 sheet pans.
4. Bake until crispy, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook evenly on all sides.
5. Remove from oven and toss mixture with remaining dressing and the cooked rice.  Season with salt and serve warm.

Printable Recipe

Other kale recipes from Vegetable Matter:
Flatbread with Kale, Swiss Chard, Collards, Pine Nuts and Brown Butter
Flatbread with Crispy Lacinato Kale and Tarentaise Cheese

*A few sites devoted to kale:
I Heart Kale
365 Days of Kale 
Red Russian Kale

Flatbread with Kale, Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts, Currants, Brown Butter and Ricotta Salata

Leafy greens provide amazing colors, textures and shapes in the garden.   They are now reaching their peak before giving in to our hot, humid weather.  These three greens in particular, Swiss chard, lacinato kale, and collards, are not only beautiful but also among the most nutritious vegetables around.   Swiss chard, a member of the beet family, is loaded with folate, vitamins C, E and K, iron and calcium.  Kale and collards, both members of the brassica family, provide protein and iron in addition to fiber, folate, calcium and several important vitamins.

For this recipe, the greens are combined and cooked ahead of time in brown butter.  The nutty tones of the butter give the greens a rich, deep flavor; the brown butter also harmonizes the distinct flavors of the three greens.  The subtle color differences of the cooked greens are especially attractive with the red currants, brown pine nuts and white cheese that are loaded on top.  Feel free to substitute other leafy greens such as spinach, leafy cabbage, Asian greens, or beet greens, or to change the proportions to fit what you have on hand.

Flatbread with Kale, Swiss Chard, Currants, Pine Nuts, Brown Butter and Ricotta Salata
Ingredients

Brown Butter

8             Tbs          unsalted butter

Flatbread

3              Tbs         brown butter
1              Tbs         dry currants
2              cups        kale, washed, stems removed and cut into thick strips
2              cups        Swiss chard, washed, stems removed and cut into thick strips, 
                              1/8 cup of stems reserved
2              cups        collard greens (or spinach or asian greens), washed, 
                              stems removed and cut into thick strips
1              Tbs          olive oil
1/2                         garlic clove, minced
                              sea salt and black pepper
1              Tbs          pine nuts, toasted
1                            flatbread dough, at room temp for 5 minutes before rolling out
1/2           cup         ricotta salata, crumbled
                              flour for rolling out dough and corn meal for peel

Procedure

Brown Butter

1. Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat.
2. First, butter will separate, with the milk solids settling to the bottom of the pan. 
3. After 8 to 10 minutes, butter will turn dark amber color.  Remove from heat, and line a strainer with a paper towel.
4. Pour butter through paper towel into a measuring cup to remove the solids.
5. Use immediately, or store in refrigerator.

Flatbread

1. Turn oven to 450° and place shelf in top third of oven.  Place pizza stone on shelf and heat, ideally for one hour before baking flatbread.
2. Soak the currants in 1/4 cup hot water to plump them.
3. Cut reserved 1/8 cup of Swiss chard stems on a diagonal into very thin slices. 
4. Heat olive oil in large pan over medium.  Add chard stems, garlic, 1/4 cup water (or vegetable broth), and pinches of sea salt and black pepper.  Saute about 1 minute, then add kale.  After 1 minute, add remaining chard and collards, plus 1/4 tsp sea salt and a few pinches of pepper.
5. Raise temperature to medium-high and saute until greens are just tender, about 3 minutes.
6. Reduce heat to medium low and add brown butter, currants and pine nuts.  Cook briefly, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Roll out flatbread on well-floured surface.  Sprinkle cornmeal liberally on peel to prevent sticking.
8. Spread thin layer of olive oil on flatbread, then spread out half the cheese.
9. Add greens mixture, then top with remaining cheese.
10. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
11. Bake until bread is golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

  
Other flatbread recipes from Vegetable Matter:
Flatbread with Swiss Chard Puree, Tomme de Savoie and Fake Bacon

Flatbread with Spiced Pears, Dates and Haloumi

Flatbread with Crispy Lacinato Kale and Tarentaise Cheese
Flatbread with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan
Flatbread with Roasted Golden Beets, Goat Cheese and Chestnut Honey
Flatbread with Gorgonzola Dulce, Grapes and Walnuts
Flatbread with Broccoli Rabe and Manchego
Flatbread with French Sorrel, Roasted Cauliflower and Goat Cheese

Flatbread with Crispy Lacinato Kale and Tarentaise Cheese

Kale is a primitive form of cabbage that does not form a head.  It is an extremely versatile vegetable, popular in many regions of the world whether served on its own or in any number of soups, pastas, salads and even Irish colcannon mashed potatoes.  Kale is so rich in nutrients that it was mandated in many World War II-era victory gardens to prevent malnutrition due to rationing.  To name just some of its nutritional benefits, kale is a good source of protein, fiber, beta carotene, calcium, folate, iron, and vitamins C, B6, and E.

Kale is a cool-weather crop which actually tastes better after a frost, so here in Houston we started our seeds last October.  We are growing Lacinato kale which goes by many other names including Cavolo Nero, Black Cabbage, Tuscan Kale and Dinosaur Kale.  Kale is easy to start from seed (our seeds are from Botanical Interests) and has few pests.   The plants are absolutely gorgeous, making this type of kale ideal for an ornamental border that includes vegetables; visitors to our garden are instantly drawn to the blue color and amazing texture of our Lacinato plants.  Add in kale's long list of nutritional benefits and delicious flavor, and you'll see why kale is a great addition to any vegetable garden.  

We have written often about our ongoing love affair with flatbread.  We posted a whole series of recipes earlier this year, including an easy and versatile flatbread dough recipe.  The response we received was tremendous, confirming that we are not alone in this passion.  This week, we are posting three new recipes using the vegetables we are now harvesting in the garden including kale, bunching onions, and leafy broccoli rabe.  And of course, cheese is always featured in our flatbreads.

Here we present a delicious flatbread topped with crispy lacinato kale.  The trick is to cook the kale in advance, using a bunching onion, shallot and garlic to add flavor.  In the oven, the kale leaves crisp up on a bed of gooey melted cheese.  We were lucky to find Tarentaise, a wonderful cow's milk cheese that is buttery and nutty in flavor, for our flatbread.  This cheese melts well in the oven and adds dimension to the flavor of the kale, but Gruyere would be an excellent substitute if you can't find Tarentaise.

Flatbread with Crispy Lacinato Kale and Tarentaise Cheese

Ingredients

1                       ball flatbread dough, at room temp for 5 minutes before rolling
1/4      cup        olive oil
1/2                    shallot, minced
1                       medium green bunching onion stalk, thinly sliced
                         (see photo below)
1/2                    garlic clove, minced
10                     medium lacinato kale leaves, chopped
                         sea salt and black pepper to taste
1         Tbs        olive oil
1/4       lb          Tarentaise or Gruyere cheese, thinly sliced

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 450° and place pizza stone in oven.
2. Heat olive oil over moderate heat, then saute shallot, onion and garlic until softened, about 8 minutes.
3. Reduce heat slightly to low, add kale and cover, stirring occasionally, until kale is tender, about 12 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
4. Roll out flatbread dough on well-floured surface, then generously cover peel with cornmeal and place rolled-out dough on peel.
5. Spread 1 Tbs olive oil on flatbread, then add about 2/3's of the cheese.  Add kale, then sprinkle remaining cheese on top.  Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and black pepper.
6. Bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden, about 5 minutes.
7. Eat immediately.

Printable Recipe

Other Flatbread Recipes Coming This Week:
Flatbread with Leafy Broccoli Rabe and Stinky Goat Cheese
and Flatbread with Grilled Haloumi Cheese and Spiced Pears
 
And check out our other popular flatbread recipes:
Flatbread with Sauteed Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan
Flatbread with Roasted Golden Beets, Goat Cheese and Chestnut Honey
Flatbread with Gorgonzola Dulce, Grapes and Walnuts
Flatbread with Broccoli Rabe and Manchego
Flatbread with French Sorrel, Roasted Cauliflower and Goat Cheese