Fresh Tuscan kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on this planet! Especially in these times, we should provide our body with rich variety and quantity of nutrients to make sure our immune system is performing at its best. The flavour of orange is beautifully present in multiple versions at all times in this dish. The orange juice is blended with the kale, the zest is cooked with the rice and finally finely sliced and served along with the greens. Zero-waste cooking in action.
It is early spring and I’m in the Algarve, in Portugal. The recipe will tell. The ingredients are seasonal and local.
Serves two. Prep time: 45 min
INGREDIENTS
Rice
1/2 cup of brown rice (whole-grain rice)
zest of 1/2 orange
2 tbsp cinnamon
salt and pepper
Kale Sauce
3-4 leaves of Tuscan kale
juice of 2 oranges
4 tbsp carob flour
2 tbsp roasted almonds
optional: 2 branches parsley and dill each
Green Linguini
1 small leaf turnip green
12 leaves coriander
8 leaves arugula/1 small leaf Swiss chard
4 finely sliced ribbons orange zest
1 tbsp roasted almonds, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
sweetener of choice
METHOD
Rice
Bring a saucepan to high heat. Rinse the rice and roast in the saucepan. Add 1 cup of water, add the rest of the ingredients, bring to boil, cover with a lid and let simmer for about 30 min (depending on the type of the rice). When cooked let sit for another 10 min.
Kale Sauce
Blend all the ingredients.
Green Linguini
Roll the leaf of the turnip green cigar-like (lengthwise). Slice ribbons (approximately 3mm) from this cigar. Do the same with the Swiss chard if you are using it. Combine the sweetener with the lemon juice, put it together with the Green Linguini into a bowl and let marinate for a few minutes.
Combine the rice (preferably cold) with the kale sauce and top with the Green Linguini. Enjoy!