Kale Sandwich
Photo: Carolina Ayala / Contributor
Kale, among other greens, was cultivated during medieval times in Greece and Rome but by the Middle Ages, it has spread through Asia and Europe. Over time, it lost its luster and when I first arrived in Canada during the eighties, I would see it lining flower beds. I still see it gardens around the city but today, kale has become the darling of foodies and chefs and while I’ve made my share of kale salads, seldom had I encountered a more delicious iteration of kale than in a sandwich a few years ago. The kale sandwich was offered at the tiny O café near west village in New York City, a place owned by a Brazilian ceramic artist/chef known for fierce local sourcing and carefully curated ingredients. My daughter Ajna worked there for a short time, and it was one of our favorite things to share. It had a traditional tapenade lathered on one side of good sourdough bread and a thick slab of goat cheese on the other. In the middle was a big layer of minced, marinated or more like massaged kale. It always tasted wholesome and satisfying but also like biting into a salad within a sandwich.
Seeing the bounty of kale among almost all the farms around Houston and knowing that kale is much more nutrient and fiber dense than other greens, especially local kale, I decided to go on a journey to find new ways to eat kale. The olive spread is inspired by tapenade and despite having no anchovies, it packs intense flavor from the fresh parsley and serrano pepper. The recipe will make more olive spread than you will need for sandwiches, but it is a tasty condiment to have around. It’s a wonderful sandwich to take on a picnic or a park so do give it a try!