Cavolo Nero Kale

Kale is one of those true ‘superfoods’ that isn’t all marketing spin, and is something we can grow right here in the UK. We sow at least four different types, each with its own advantages, although you can put any of them in your smoothie if you’re that way inclined! 

Literally ‘black cabbage’ in Italian, Cavolo Nero is the darkest of the kales and also the most robust in texture. This makes it the perfect candidate for adding to soups and stews like minestrone and ribollita, where it will hold its own without disintegrating. It’s also great if you want to make what’s often called ‘crispy seaweed’ on menus but is actually kale, shredded and fried with sea salt and brown sugar. It’s long, bubble-textured leaves are not as frost resistant as other kales so we tend to harvest our patch in the early winter, bagging up the last of it before Christmas. Once you’ve had a veg box for a while you’ll be able to tell the time of year just from your greens!