This colorful kale dish featuring fennel and walnuts makes a lovely Thanksgiving side dish, but you need not wait for a special occasion to enjoy it. Recipe contributed by Ellen Kanner. Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
Festive Kale with Fennel, Cranberries, and Walnuts
Author: Ellen Kanner
Recipe type: Vegetable side dish
Cuisine: Healthy / Thanksgiving
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 to 8
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 lbs kale (roughly 8 cups, packed)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup sherry
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Remove stalks and fronds from fennel. Chop fennel bulb into bite-sized cubes and pieces.
- Remove stems from the kale leaves, and cut the kale into bite-sized pieces or strips. You can discard the stems, or slice them very thinly and use as well.
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add chopped fennel to pot and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Add kale by the handful, stirring gently until wilted, but still bright green, about 8 minutes. Stir in sherry, pepper flakes and cranberries.
- Spread walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes in a 350°F oven or toaster oven until golden brown and fragrant. Or, you can toast them on a dry skillet over medium heat. Let the walnuts cool briefly, then stir into the fennel and kale mixture.
- Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl, and serve.
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Ellen Kanner writes the Meatless Monday column for The Huffingon Post, and is the Edgy Veggie, a syndicated columnist.
