“He kale It takes its fame at a time when there is a clear trend of people who associated that food and health go hand in hand. Add to that the fit movement and it becomes a market niche, which is getting bigger and bigger,” said the producer. Augustine Benitoof Green Dreama company that grows this cruciferous plant in the country, to the Telam news agency.
Relative of broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts, kale is beginning to be seen in kitchens and grocery stores in the country in recent years, where consumers seek its curly leaves mainly for the high concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. The scientific name is brassica oleracea but it is also known as kale or curly cabbage.
Its leaves are curly and firm, and its color is strong green and, in some varieties, with a touch of violet. Regarding its contribution of calcium and vitamin C, according to studies, just 100 grams of kale have approximately as much calcium as 200 milliliters of milk and that amount would be equivalent to the recommended daily amount of vitamin C for an adult.
In history, kale is a vegetable that has been traditionally used in Germany and Italy. But in recent years it has gained popularity in countries such as USA and even in Spain. “Kale is perhaps the vegetable with the most nutritional content. Compared to others, it has more vitamins, minerals and more proteins… a true gem,” he stated. Laura Arranznutritionist, to the ABC journalistic portal.
“If kale were compared to broccoli, we would discover that it has almost twice as much vegetable protein, more fiber, three times more calcium, twice as much iron and magnesium, more phosphorus, potassium, more vitamin C, more than twice as much folate , more than ten times more vitamin A, twice as much vitamin E and seven times more vitamin K. And it also stands out well in a comparison with spinach or lettuce,” explained the Spanish expert.
In Argentina, kale is produced in the province of Buenos Aires and two annual plantings are done, one at the beginning of the year and another in the middle. Harvesting begins after three months. Its cultivation is not very complex, the plant adapts to the climate and tolerates the cold well, but you have to be careful with some pests such as aphids. “It is a very rich product for eat it sautéed with olive and garlic. You can put it in salads, mixed with other leaves, and it adapts perfectly to empanadas and cakes,” listed the Buenos Aires agricultural producer.
“If we talk about the cooking with which we are going to take advantage of the benefits of this vegetable, it is worth remembering that it greatly reduces its size, so the recommendation is to prepare it in the wok and for a short time. The less time we cook it, the better, although if we do not like al dente vegetables, we can cover it and leave it for a few minutes over low heat, after having sautéed it. on live fire so that it will be cooked more,” recommends Arranz.
As for its conservation, the Iberian expert advises either keeping it cool in the refrigerator and using it preferably within the next three days or blanching it for 3 minutes and then freezing it for later use. In Netherlands, It is widely consumed boiled, along with potatoes and sausages, and constitutes one of the typical dishes of the European country: Boerenkool. Various chefs from Buenos Aires restaurants of great culinary prestige have offered the vegetable as part of their menu. At the time, Pablo Campoy, from BASA, had created a delicious dish that included roasted beets with kale and goat cheese. Gastronomic creativity and health go hand in hand.
by RN
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