Roast Kohlrabi, King Oyster Mushrooms and Artichokes, served with Crispy Kale and Crumbled Feta, drizzled with a Chilli, Garlic Brown Butter may be a bit of a mouthful, but thankfully, it is an extremely delicious mouthful! Despite the long name and list of ingredients, it is surprisingly easy to make and, most definitely, worth the effort.
Serves 2 for a light lunch, or 4 for a starter
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
First make the crispy kale: preheat oven to Fan Oven 130°C /150°C/300°F/Gas 2
Remove the thick stalks from the kale and break the leaves into pieces. (50g is prepared weight.)
Wash thoroughly and dry well – I wash the leaves and tip them into a tea towel, wrap the tea towel tightly around the kale and squeeze to dry.
Tip into a bowl and add the olive oil. Use your hands to massage the leaves and ensure all the leaves are covered in the oil.
Add the salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
Tip onto a baking tray, ensuring the kale is spread out well and not overcrowded. For 50g, I used 1 large oven tray or 2 smaller ones.
Cook in a pre-heated oven for 20 – 30 minutes until crispy and browning a little at the edges. They will crisp up further as they cool down.
When cool, tip into a serving bowl, and serve any extra alongside the main dish.
Store any leftovers in a sealed, airtight container.
Next prepare and cook the roast vegetables: turn the oven up to Fan Oven 180°C/200°C/400°F/Gas 6
Remove the outer leaves and stem from the kohlrabi. Peel, and chop into even sized chunks, roughly 2½cms/1in square.
Tip onto a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on the salt and pepper, a couple of sprigs of thyme and toss well. Cook in a preheated oven for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim and chop the mushrooms into similar size chunks and tip into a mixing bowl, with another tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining thyme. Mix thoroughly.
After 35 minutes, take the kohlrabi out of the oven and add the mushrooms to the tray. Mix well and put back in the oven for a further 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, remove from the oven again and add the artichokes. Cook for a final 5 minutes.
Take the vegetables out of the oven and remove the cooked sprigs of thyme.
Prepare the brown butter whilst the vegetables cook: chop the butter into similar sized cubes, place in a cold, small (ideally pale coloured) saucepan and heat over a medium temperature, until it turns a medium brown in colour and smells nutty. It will foam first, and then start to brown and become clear as the water evaporates off. Stir often to ensure it cooks and browns evenly. (For more details on how to make brown butter, see here.)
Add the crushed garlic, chilli flakes and a grind of sea salt and black pepper. Simmer gently for 2 minute to soften the garlic. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.
Now bring it all together: divide the roast vegetables and a little fresh thyme between the bowls.
Drizzle over a little brown butter. (Serve any remaining brown butter in a jug on the side.)
Add a little crumbled feta cheese to each plate.
Finally, top with the crispy kale and a wedge of lemon. Serve with fresh bread, to mop up the juices.
Serve: delicious as a starter, or, it makes the perfect vegetarian main dish for a light lunch.
Equipment:
For the crispy kale -
For the roast vegetables -
For the brown butter -
Kale:
Kale is one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet and it is loaded with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, including A, C, K, B6, as well as calcium, potassium and magnesium. If that isn’t enough, kale has an incredibly low calorie content as well. So, top tip – make extra!
Crispy kale is a wonderful accompaniment to a glass of wine or beer, an ideal healthy, savoury snack and is delicious alongside a sandwich for your lunch. It keeps well for a few days, if stored in an airtight container.