It’s kale. It’s a Brussels sprout. Wait, it’s both! Kalettes are the new “in” vegetable and you know how I know? I saw them at the Minnesota State Fair. So when the good people who developed this kale/sprout cross asked if I’d like to do a post for them, how could I refuse? In truth I’m a big fan of both of the original vegetables; sprouts for their sweet, cabbage-ness and kale for it’s earthy, mineral quality. Do Kalettes combine the two? Sort of. I’d say Kalettes are more of a brand new deal.
The family of Brassica oleracea includes a host of vegetables, among them kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, collard greens, savoy, and kohlrabi, to name a few. They have been selectively bred, crossbred and otherwise adapted by humans over the course of several thousand years, and their wild brethren still exist today. Kalettes are just another marriage in the big family tree.
As far as cooking goes, the Kalette has hearty, crinkled little leaves and a short, pinky-finger of internal stem. The leaves hold up well to cooking while you wait for the core to soften. And Kalettes are so cute! They are like little frilly sprout octopi.
I chose to do a quick sauté for the Kalettes to give them some caramelization, followed by a short braise. Because the flavor of Kalettes is very hearty, I spiced them with curry and fish sauce to boost their umami savoriness, rounding it out with ginger, garlic and chilis, then finishing it with some crunch from cashews. Like both kale and sprouts, Kalettes loose their divine color during cooking, producing a very dark green finished vegetable. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
This post is sponsored by Kalettes. The opinions are my own. Drop by the Kalettes website to learn about how this non-GMO vegetable was developed through traditional hybridization and not genetic modification.