I'm unemployed at the moment, and like many of us in this economy, I'm trying to do what I can to tighten my purse strings. To that end, I have developed a strategy that has significantly reduced my grocery bills, increased my intake of the "good for you" foods, and heightened the excitement level in my kitchen each night by at least three notches.
Here's how it works: at the beginning of the month, I go to the grocery store and stock up on staples (everything in the interior of the store), enough to fill up my whole pantry. I skip the perimeter of the store where the produce and gourmet items are. If it is shelf-stable or freezer-friendly (rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, etc.) it goes in cart. Next, I rely on a farmer's market or CSA (community supported agriculture group) for produce, meat (if I don't have any stashed in the freezer) and dairy. Here in Atlanta, I use Moore Farms - I cannot recommend them highly enough. First of all, unlike other CSAs, you don't have to subscribe, meaning there's no contract, and you have the freedom to buy from them only when you need to. Second, you can get a farmer's choice box full of what's in season, but you can also pick out exactly what you want. But I digress...
In addition to all of the benefits that come from buying from local purveyors (supporting local agriculture, eating what's in season, finding out you actually LOVE swiss chard, yada, yada, yada...), you drastically reduce impulse purchases at the grocery store, especially those super-expensive prepared foods.
Long story short, it is according to this strategy that I came to make this colorful recipe. Each of these ingredients is in season and can be found at your grocery store or farmer's market.
SAUTEED KALE, SWEET POTATOES, AND APPLES
Traci Des Jardins - Epicurious, November 2007
(2) tablespoons butter, divided
(1) Sweet potato
(1) Apple
(2) cups of kale or swiss chard, stems removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
(1) link hot italian sausage, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
salt
parsley, chopped (optional)
Total Cost: $2.85 (not including the sausage)
The picture doesn't do this dish justice. You've got to try this. Even without the sausage, I really enjoyed it. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, take one firm apple (e.g., Granny Smith or Gala), peel, core, and quarter it. Cut each quarter in half width-wise and add to the pan, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown (about 15 minutes). Remove them from the pan to a plate and keep warm.
Add another tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of water to the skillet. When the butter has melted, add approximately two (2) cups of kale (or chard), stems removed, and leaves cut into two in pieces. I cheated by buying a bag of pre-cut, pre-washed kale and just grabbed a couple of handfuls. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes, until the kale is bright green and wilted.
Next, add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Return the apple to the pan and add one pre-cooked sweet potato, cut lengthwise into quarters and then into 1/8 inch slices.* It is at this point I would recommend added some browned, ground, hot italian sausage to the party to spice things up. Cook until the dish is heated through, and fold in a palmful of coarsely chopped parsley.
I was concerned about having both sweet potatoes and apples - wouldn't the dish be too sweet? I'm happy to report that wasn't the case. The greens are a little bitter (in the best sense), the sweet potatoes are smooth and sweet in that roasted/caramelized sort of way, and the apples are tart. Like I said, there's crunchy, smooth, tart, sweet, bitter - the only thing that could round this dish out would be some spicy, slightly salty sausage. Give a it a chance - it might surprise you!
* A word about the sweet potatoes. The recipe's author advised that the sweet potatoes be cooked and kept warm. Doing this did not work out so well for me. As you can see, the dish became sauteed greens and apples with mashed sweet potatoes. It still tasted great, but didn't look as pretty. If you cook them first before you start prepping anything else, they'll be cooked, and slightly cooled by the time you need to use them. Either peel and cut them as described above, toss lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 425F for 20 minutes, OR, jab a sweet potato five or six times with a fork, places on the middle rack of a cold oven, turn the heat to 450F, and remove from the oven after 45 minutes have passed. Cut lengthwise, scoop out the inside, and then cut.
