Kale, Apple, Pear, Onion, Brussels Sprouts, Squash Casserole

Vegan and Gluten-Free.

I apologize for the lack of a photo of the finished meal – just haven’t been myself lately.  Too many things on my plate, and I’m not talking supper.

Home grown Russian kale prior to harvest.

This was prepared for a potluck this past weekend.  It turned out really good, and it was all eaten, so I wanted to post the recipe anyway.  But let’s say many casserole photos don’t come out stunning to begin with, so I beg your forbearance this time!

The kale, apple and pear are all cooked together at the same time (steamed) while the rest of the ingredients (minus the peach balsamic) are roasted together at the same time.  Then, everything is layered and combined into a casserole dish.

The roasted portion of this dish… Prior to the oil and actual roasting…

Instead of peach balsamic, consider other stone-fruit balsamics, if that’s what you have to hand.  Or just a balsamic reduction.

The peach balsamic vinegar, a brand picked up at one of the local farmers’ markets

The kale, by the way, was home grown Russian kale.   This type is not as bitter as some are.  I will assuredly grow this variety again next year!  It is awesome no matter how huge the leaves get.  (A little extra steaming time is nothing in the scale of things.)

Prep time: About 20 minutes.
Cook time: 50 minutes for the roasting, 25 for the steaming (I ran them concurrent so 50 total).
Rest time: Not needed, but fine.
Serves:  A decent sized group at a potluck, I think we were 16.
Leftovers:  Re-heats nicely, oven or microwave.

The Roasting Part:

• 1 large onion, sliced in slivers
• a good 20 or so Brussels sprouts, sliced in half
• 2 baby delicata squash, or one small delicata, or a small amount of winter squash, your choice.  For delicata, slice off ends, cut lengthwise twice, remove seeds.  Other squash may require skin removal.  
• 1/2 teaspoon tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme.  (Fresh would be best, but I didn’t have.)
• 1/3 teaspoon ground white pepper (black is fine, too).  
• 1.5 tablespoons avocado olive oil.  (You can use other choices, including olive oil.)

Pre-heat oven to 425 F (218 C). Lay out all the veggies in a pan, one layer if possible.  Sprinkle with the herbs and spices.  (Photo shown on this page elsewhere).  Drizzle the oil over.  Using your hands to mix, coat the veggies with the oil and seasonings.  Cover tightly with close-on metal foil.

Oh, NOTE:  Things will roast better if you pat them dry after any rinsing!

Toss into your oven for 50 minutes.

Remove, set aside, still covered.

The Steaming Part:  (for which I did all the prep during the beginning of the roasting part.

• 1 large bunch of kale (lotsa leaves).  I wish I’d thought to weigh…  You want a lot; it will cook down.  Rinse, remove any thick stems, and coarsely cut into edible sizes.  Kitchen scissors are faster than knives for me.
• 2 apples.  Core, and roughly dice.  (You don’t need to skin them.)
• 2 Bosc pears.  Core, and roughly dice.  (You don’t need to skin them.)

Get your steamer ready with water, and add the kale and fruit.  I put a layer of kale on the bottom, then some fruit, more kale, the rest of the fruit, then the rest of the kale.  Didn’t want the fruit to seep through the steamer holes.

Bring to a boil, and reduce to a good simmer, and start counting 25 minutes.  If you are using a younger, more delicate kale, you can stop simmering sooner than that.  Test leaf texture starting about 15 minutes in such a case.

The Combo Part: 

Into a casserole dish, start by layering in your kale/fruit concoction, followed by a layer of the roasted component.  (And do chop up your squash into mouth sized pieces as indicated.)  Continue on, but before the final layer, drizzle in over the surface:

• Peach Balsamic Vinegar (or other stone-fruit Balsamic, or a Balsamic reduction), about 1.5 tablespoons

Add the final layer or two as available.

Bringing to a Pot Luck:

This was pretty much room temperature when I arrived — putting in the oven, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes at 400F (205C), and then serving on an electric hot plate works fine.  Re-heading in a microwave-safe dish, that’s also an option (obviously to take less time).

Since there was nothing to bring back home with me, I figured I’d better jolly well write this one up!  Apparently, someone liked it!

PS: Where I can, from now on I will be including metric measurements in with Fahrenheit and so forth.

Come join us at Fiesta Friday!  Fiesta Friday is co-hosted this week by Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju.com and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas and Spoons