Addicted To Kale

I love the hearty bitterness of kale.  Growing up, my Mom made a great Japanese inspired version with dashi and katsuo.  Over the past year, I've been introduced to some fantastic new ways of using kale.  Kim Severson from the New York Times posted this amazing recipe for Kale and Ricotta Salata Salad.  I never thought of eating kale raw, but it's now a staple in my kitchen.

Kale and Ricotta Salata Salad

Over the past year, recipes for kale chips have been proliferating through food blogs and magazines.  They really are that good.  Roasting the kale really transforms the hearty green into a crispy lightness that is impossible to describe.  Wash and dry kale, removing stems and ribs.  Lightly coat w/ olive oil, add salt, pepper and roast in a 400-415 degree oven.  Start checking after the first 8 minutes, mix often and remove as they are done.  They are ready when crispy and lightly browned at the edges.

Kale Chips

Cooking with Gobo

I  have long been a fan of gobo in Japanese cooking.  It is probably most often found in kinpira gobo, a braised dish of julienned gobo and carrot, with soy, mirin, sugar, sake, and sesame oil.  In pickled form, it is also found in makizushi.

Gobo

A friend mentioned that she tried gobo fries at an izakaya in Tokyo, and I decided to try making them myself.  I couldn't find a recipe, so after soaking the gobo in water to remove the bitterness, I experimented with various oil temperatures based on recipes sweet potato and potato fries.  I couldn't seem to get the right temperature and cooking time to get rid of the woodiness of the gobo.  Served with chili sauce, the gobo fries were decent, but next time I see them on an izakaya menu, I would love to try them.

Gobo Fries

I decided to use the remaining gobo to make chips.  I used a Japanese mandoline to make very thin strips, soaked to get rid of bitterness, and dried completely.  Then I fried until lightly golden and served with sriracha mayo.  The thin chips lacked the woodiness of the fries, and I will be making them again!

Gobo Chips with Sriracha Mayo