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Wednesday, March 14, 2012 – Daily News 5A County Fare & fresh All kale breaks loose (MCT) — Kale is about as unlikely a food star as you can imagine. It's tough and fibrous. Bite a piece of raw kale and you'll practically end up with splinters between your teeth. Never- theless, kale has become a green of the moment because, given a little special care, it actually can be made not only edible but delicious. You can cook it, of course, the lower and slower the better. But surprisingly, one of the most popular ways to use kale these days is in salads. Though kale leaves have always been found on almost every salad bar, it wasn't for reasons of edibility — it was for deco- ration, because this was one green so tough it would last forever without wilting. But the solution is remarkably simple: Give it a massage. Yes, seriously. And I mean a real massage — a deep-tissue bone- breaker. Grab bunches of it in both hands and squeeze. Then rub them together. And repeat. It's almost like kneading bread dough. It won't take very long — just a couple of minutes — but you'll be amazed at the difference. That tough cellu- lose structure breaks down — wilts, actually — and those leaves that once seemed so coarse and fibrous turn silky. You can feel it happen- ing. You can see it too — the leaves will darken and shrink to almost half their pre-massage volume. The flavor changes as well. That pronounced bit- terness mellows, revealing some of the same depths of sweet green flavor you nor- mally get only through long, slow cooking. In fact, the best way to know when you've massaged kale long enough is to take a bite. The color and texture changes can happen before the leaves are completely softened. But taste doesn't lie. Even better, because the massaged greens have such a wonderful texture and just the right mix of sweet and bitter flavor, you don't need much of a salad dressing. Use a little good olive oil and a pinch of salt when you're giving it a rubdown and all you need afterward is a hint of acidity — vinegar or lemon juice — to make a perfectly balanced salad. One mark of kale's rock star status is the sheer num- ber of varieties available. It wasn't so long ago that you found just dark green curly kale. Then came the type variously called "Tuscan," "lacinato" or "dinosaur." Now you can even find kales beautifully colored in shades of lavender and purple. The good news is they all work equally well for salads. Provided, of course, you give them a good rubdown first. KALE SALAD WITH FARRO, DRIED FRUIT AND BLUE CHEESE Total time: 1 hour Servings: 4 to 6 1/4 cup farro Water, Salt 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit (such as sour cherries, cran- berries, raisins) 1 tablespoon orange-fla- vored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier bunches) $ 1 pound kale (about 2 1 tablespoon olive oil 15 Off regular price With this ad! • Same Day Service • Free E-File • Check Our Price • Over 45 Years Experience P. Ralph Campbell, EA Enrolled Agent Daniele Jackson 530-529-9540 855 Walnut St. #2, Red Bluff walnuts 1/4 cup chopped toasted 1. Heat the oven to 400 MCT photo Kale has become a green of the moment because, given a little special care, it actually can be made not only edible but also delicious. Here, Kale Cesar Salad. cheese onion 1/4 cup crumbled blue 2 tablespoons minced red 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans vinegar taste 2 teaspoons red wine Freshly ground pepper to 1. Toast the farro in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat until it smells nutty and turns golden, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Season with one-half tea- spoon salt and cook until the farro is tender but still a little chewy, about 45 minutes. Drain (there will probably still be some liquid left), rinse under cold running water and gently pat dry in a kitchen towel. 2. Place the dried fruit in a small bowl with the Grand Marnier. Add just enough warm water to cover and set aside until softened, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave them for 30 seconds and let stand for 5 minutes. 3. Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Chop the leaves into bite- sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with 1 tea- spoon salt and the olive oil. Grab the leaves by the hand- fuls and massage them roughly. Don't be timid. After a minute or two, the coarse, stiff leaves will turn soft and silky. You'll have about half the volume of kale you started with. 4. Drain the dried fruit and add it to the kale, along with the cooked farro, blue cheese, red onion, pecans and vinegar. Toss to mix well, then season to taste with black pepper and more salt and vinegar, if neces- sary. KALE "CAESAR" Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 to 6 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 2 cloves garlic, split in half lengthwise 1 teaspoon lemon zest Olive oil Salt 2 eggs, hash browns or home fries & toast or bisquit & gravy $649 Served 6:30am-2pm 7 days a week No substitutions ORDERS TO GO 7875 HWY 99E LOS MOLINOS, CA 384-1265 Rent Special $ March Madness fir500 OFF st month rent! TEHAMA ESTATES PROVIDES: ◆ Independent Living ◆ Private Apartments ◆ Three Nutritious Meals Daily ◆ 24 Hour Secure Environment ◆ House Keeping Services ◆ Warm & Friendly Staff ◆Recreational Programs ◆Scheduled Transportation ◆Private & Formal Dining Rooms A Retirement Community for the Active Senior Citizens EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY $1999 750 David Avenue, Red Bluff • 527-9193 + crv 99¢ Flour 5 lb. 1 pound kale 4 teaspoons lemon juice 1 ounce Parmigiano- Reggiano, grated or shaved with a vegetable peeler 1. Toast the bread crumbs: Combine them in a small saucepan with the gar- lic, lemon zest and 3 table- spoons olive oil. Stir to coat well. There should be only a light trace of oil in the bot- tom of the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the crumbs have darkened and toasted, about 5 minutes. Transfer them to a small bowl and set them aside to cool slightly. 2. Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Chop the leaves into bite- sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with 1 tea- spoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grab the leaves by the handful and massage them roughly. Don't be timid. After a minute or two, the coarse, stiff leaves will turn soft and silky. You'll have about half the volume of kale you started with. 3. Add the toasted bread crumbs and lemon juice and toss well. Season to taste with more salt and lemon juice if necessary. Arrange on separate salad plates or on a platter and sprinkle grated or shaved Parmi- giano-Reggiano over top. KALE SALAD WITH ROASTED WINTER SQUASH Total time: 50 minutes, plus cooling time for the squash Servings: 4 to 6 1 pound section of butter- nut squash, unpeeled (preferably the thinner neck) Olive oil 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves) 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme Salt 1 ounce grated Parmi- giano-Reggiano (about 1/4cup loosely packed) 1 pound kale 1 teaspoon sherry vine- gar Large Ham Steak Breakfast 49¢ lb. Cheese Dinner 7.25 oz. box Kraft Mayo or Miracle Whip 30 oz. jar ea. $299 All Purpose $199 ea. Crystal Orange Juice 1/2 gallons or Sour Cream 2 $500 for Tubs 24 oz. Bud or Coors 30 pks 12 oz. Beers 2 $500 for Sara Lee Whole Grain White or 100% Wheat Bread 20 oz. $229 Sierra Nevada Beer 12 pks 12 oz. Cans or Bottles $1299 + crv Find us on Facebook! facebook.com/nuwaymarket 4 $500 for + crv Fried Chicken w/ Jo Jo's Fresh Cooked 8 piece $699 ea. Kraft Mac & 30¢ lb. 79¢ ea. $279 ea. Grocery Specials Nabisco Snack Crackers or Chips Ahoy Cookies 5.5-15.1 oz. Thirst Quncher 32 oz. Gatorade 79¢ lb. degrees. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise into quar- ters, then seed and remove any of the stringy center. Cut the pieces crosswise into slices a little thicker than one-fourth inch. Place the squash in a large mixing bowl and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, the thyme and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat well. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss again. 2. Line a jellyroll pan with metal foil and scatter the squash wedges in a sin- gle layer. Roast until the squash is tender, fragrant and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. 3. Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Chop the leaves into bite- sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with 1 tea- spoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grab the leaves by the handfuls and massage them roughly. Don't be timid. After a minute or two, the coarse, stiff leaves will turn soft and silky. You'll have about half the volume of kale you started with. Add the sherry vinegar and toss well. Season to taste with more salt and vinegar if necessary. 4. Arrange the greens in a low mound on individual serving plates or on a platter. Scatter the cooled squash pieces over the top. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and serve. tasty Ask a cook: Baking half a recipe By Kathleen Purvis McClatchy Newspapers Q: If recipe calls for a 13-by-9-inch pan and I want to halve it, what size pan do I use? How would I change the baking temperature and time? A: The pan size is easy: A 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan will hold 15 cups, while an 8-inch-square pan that's 2 inches deep holds 8 cups. So an 8-inch pan could hold a little more than half the batter of the larger pan. How to adjust the time and temperature is trickier, so I asked Megan Lambert, a pastry instructor at Johnson & Wales University in Charlotte, N.C., who specializes in baking science. As long as the depth of the batter is about the same, the baking temperature would stay the same, she says. The baking time probably would change, but there is no hard rule on how to predict that. "When my students ask me, 'Chef, how long does it take to bake,' I reply, 'Until it's done.' There are so many variables that affect baking time, you just have to know the desired characteristics of your product and check it as it bakes." The safest way to do that is to start checking about 10 minutes before the original baking time. Kathleen Purvis answers questions at www.charlotteobserver.com/food. "Your Family Supermarket" WE ACCEPT FOOD STAMPS NO CARDS REQUIRED FOR EVERYDAY LOW PRICING OR SALE ITEMS WE FEATURE BLACK CANYON ANGUS BEEF Corned Beef Brisket Points Reuben's We appreciate your business - and we show it! HOURS: 7AM - 9 PM DAILY 8049 Hwy 99E, Los Molinos Prices good March 9 thru March 15, 2011 Corned Beef Flats Murphy's Meat Specials Shenson's Corned Beef Rounds Rump Roasts Drums or Thighs Boneless Beef 384-1563 Fresh SPECIALLY CUT MEATS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE $199 lb. Large Red Potatoes $349 lb. Fresh Green Cabbage $349 lb. Carrots 1 lb. bag $249 Produce Specials Mini lb. Organic Green Beans 12 oz. clamshell $119 lb. D'Anjou Pears Served with