mmmm kale...

I have been trying to eat seasonal vegetables and fruits to get the best nutrition and value. It's winter now, so roots and dark greens are prevailing. Kale is something that I think I tried once 20 years ago when someone served it to me. I remember it was good, but I didn't incorporate it into my kitchen repertoire.

The Province Newspaper featured a couple of kale recipes. I tried the White Bean Soup with Kale last weekend. It is so good that I cooked it again last night, for my friend Michele's birthday supper. It being January and all, Michele requested soup for supper, and a light meal in general. We met at Kathy's house. Kathy provided a veggie platter, a sumptuous green salad and crusty fresh bread. I brought a bottle of Prosecco, and a pecan pie because after all, it was Michele's birthday! Everything was delish and we had a great evening.

Friday morning I had leftover kale in the fridge from the weekend before. I probably could have taken it to Kathy's to make Michele's soup, but I wanted to use fresh kale for the special supper, so I decided to have the older kale for breakfast. I concocted this yummy panini. I made two, so Fiona took one for her school lunch. She said it was delicious cold. Here's my recipe:

Persian Panini with Chicken, Kale and Goat Cheese

Persian flatbread
pesto
cooked chicken breast
chopped kale
goat cheese
olive oil
(amounts vary depending on how many and what size paninis you want)

Cut matching pieces of the flatbread. Coat one side of each pair with a thin layer of pesto. Arrange thin slices of the chicken breast on top. Saute the kale in a bit of olive oil until it shrinks. Arrange kale in a generous layer over the chicken. Top with crumbles of goat cheese and put the second piece of flatbread on as a lid. Heat a skillet or griddle with just a bit more olive oil. Cook the panini on both sides over medium heat. It takes a bit of time to heat through the fillings so be careful not to burn the bread. It helps if the kale is warm from just being sauted.

Makes however many servings you wish. Good hot or cold.

If I was cooking this for vegetarians, I would substitute some cooked, seasoned eggplant slices for the chicken.

question: do you eat kale?

mompoet - mmmm...