Organic kale - Westland Winter

Seeds:  70  / Botanical name:  Brassica oleracea var. sabellica

The winter vegetables of the Northern Lights - tasty and rich in vitamins

The very productive Westland Winter variety forms densely wavy, blue-green leaves. It is robust and ideally suited for harvesting from October to March.

Natural habitat:  Although originally native to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, kale is now primarily a specialty in Great Britain, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and Northern Germany.

In the kitchen:  Before the first harvest, you should wait for the first frost for a few days. Only then do the plant's metabolic processes convert the starch into sugar, and the bitter compounds disappear. The leaves should be harvested from the outside in to stimulate growth. Harvest regularly, as the tender leaves are particularly flavorful. For classic kale preparation, break the individual leaves from the stalk and pluck the leafy greens from each leaf along the stem. Cook the leaves for 2 to 4 minutes in simmering salted water. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let them drain. Gently squeeze out any excess water from the kale with your hands. Chop the cabbage coarsely or finely, depending on your preference. Sauté the diced onion in lard until translucent. Add the cabbage and let it wilt. After 10 minutes, cover with a lid, deglaze occasionally with a splash of vegetable broth, and cook for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the smoked sausage and Kassler 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time and cook through.