Good old Cavolo Nero

Hello there everyone,

Thanks for checking out our blog, and our recipes to make the most out of your box of vegetable delights! In yesterday's box you had a selection of potatoes, spring onions, mixed beets, yellow carrots, yellow beans, courgette, cavolo nero and parsley.

Cavolo Nero belongs to the brasicca family, and is Italian by origin. It's super healthy containing lutein, Vitamin's A, C and K it also has copper, fibre, iron, calcium, B vitamins and manganese. The other good news is it also tastes great, and is pretty versatile. 

With young leaves, they can be stir fried, steamed, boiled and made into a soup. If stir fried, dress with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, if steamed dress with olive oil and sea salt and cracked black pepper. Young leaves can be used whole, with larger leaves take out the central nerve and slice into strips. 

Cavolo Nero, keeps best in a zip lock bag in the fridge. If it goes soft, it can be refreshed in a bowl of cold water.

Now for the more exciting part.... the recipe. A classic Italian soup called Ribollita....

Ribollita.. The recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 medium red onion, chopped into 1/2 cm dice

250 g of carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 cm dice

1/2 head of celery , chopped 1/2 cm dice

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped finely

40 g of flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

1 tin of cannelini or borlotti beans,drained

1x 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 bunch of cavolo nero, washed, nerve removed and coarsely chopped

1/2 loaf of old bread

extra virgin olive oil

1. In a large saucepan on a low heat, sweat the onion, celery,carrot,garlic and parsley in olive oil. This should take around 20-30 mins. 

2. Add your tomatoes and cook for another 30 mins.

3. Next add your beans, cavolo nero, and just enough water or vegetable stock to cover. Simmer for 20- 30 mins.

4. Cut up your stale bread into small pieces and add to the soup.

5. If needed add some more stock or water however the soup should still remain quite thick.

6. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with extra virgin 

olive oil.

7. Chop over a little more finely chopped parsley and serve. 

NOTE- If made 1 or 2 days in advance the soup will taste even better. 

Bon Appetit!