Cavolo Nero

Cousin of the kale leaf, Cavolo Nero is a much-loved and an extremely versatile ingredient originating from Italy - it is also known as dinosaur kale . The stem is tough so is not usually used, but the leaves can be shredded and cooked in a variety of ways.

Cavolo Nero leaves can be eaten raw, fried, boiled or steamed. In Italy, it is often fried with garlic and lemon and served as vegetable side dish but here are two alternative recipes that I have experimented with to create dishes that bring out the leaf's intense and nutty flavour.

Spaghetti & Cavolo Nero Sauce (inspired by Jamie Oliver's Winter Green Pasta)

This is such a simple to dish to make and will wow your dinner guests with it's vibrant green colour and deliciously nutty yet bitter flavour, broken up with the texture of creamy cheese.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 handful of spaghetti
• 300g Cavolo Nero
• 7 garlic cloves
• 200g Parmesan cheese
• 75g Mascarpone
• Olive Oil
• Black Pepper and Salt
• Squeeze of lemon

Method

1. Peel garlic cloves (you can use wet garlic for a slightly sweeter flavour), tear the Cavolo Nero leaves from the stems and grate the Parmesan.
2. Pre-boil water in two separate saucepans.
3. In one saucepan, cook spaghetti (for 10 minutes). In the other, boil the Cavolo Nero and garlic (for 8 minutes).
4. Drain Cavolo Nero and garlic and put in the blender. When you drain the pasta, save half a cup of the pasta water and add this to the blender, along with the Parmesan. Season well with plenty of salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon, then blend for 30 seconds – the sauce will have turned a vibrant green colour.
5. Add the sauce to the saucepan of drained pasta and mix thoroughly.
6. When served on plate, add a few generous dollops of mascarpone (other soft cheeses can also be used - ricotta and burrata both work well).
7. And if you're looking to impress with this dish, try adding garlic flowers for decoration  - not only do they look pretty but also add an extra kick of garlic. 

Giant Cous Cous, Cavolo Nero, Chorizo and Feta Salad

Perfect for a light dinner on a summer's evening!

Serves 2 

Ingredients

• 400g dried giant cous cous
• 300g Cavolo Nero
• Chorizo
• Tomatoes
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Onion
• Olive Oil 
• 100g feta cheese
• 1 Aubergine

Optional: 

• Parsley
• for Salad Dressing
  • 1 glug of Olive Oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of Mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
  • Generous squeeze of Lemon juice

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Chop aubergine into chunks, brush with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper (and paprika if you like a bit of spice). Place on a baking tray and roast in oven for 30 minutes, turning half way through. Add whole cherry tomatoes or quartered Inca tomatoes (both varieties taste delicious in salads) to the baking tray when turning aubergine.
3. Prepare other ingredients: tear the Cavolo Nero from the stem and roughly chop leaves. Chop onion and slice garlic. Slice chorizo ring and set aside.
4. Place cous cous in a sauce pan and cover with cold water and add a pinch of salt– bring to the boil, then simmer and cover with a lid for 15 minutes.
5. Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan and add chopped onion and garlic. Add Cavolo Nero leaves and fry for 5-6 minutes until slightly wilted.
6. When the aubergine and tomatoes have been roasted, add them to the frying pan and fry all ingredients for a further 2-3 minutes.
7. Take off the heat and combine these ingredients with the giant cous cous.
8. To make the dressing, simply shake the olive oil, mustard, balsamic vinegar and lemon in a jar. The combination of lemon and cavolo nero is a real delight - try using different types of lemons, such as a Giant Cedro lemon or a Sicilian lemon.
9. In the frying pan, fry chorizo for 3-4 minutes and scatter on top of salad. Add feta chunks, and serve with the salad dressing and a warm chunk of Focaccia bread!