Kale and Butternut Frittata – Passover Cookery
Vegetarian Recipe Suitable for Festival of Pesach and All Year Round
Apr 6, 2009
Butternut and kale, both full of vitamins and minerals, combine with eggs to make a tasty, colourful, dish suitable, not just for Passover, but delicious all year round.
The Jewish festival of Passover is constrained by many rules and regulations as to what one can and can't eat. As the festival lasts for eight days it can sometimes be difficult to conjure up exciting and tasty meals. This recipe is a family favourite all year round.
Butternut Squash – Winter Pumpkin
Butternut Squash and is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium, manganese, magnesium and fibre.
Kale – Member of the Brassica Oleracea Acephala Group
Kale is a form of cabbage, green in colour, and part of the Brassica oleracea Acephala group. It is an excellent source of vitamins such as vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals, iron and calcium.
Kale and Butternut Frittata Recipe
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 250 g Butternut squash
- 175 g Kale – if kale is not easily obtained curly greens can be substituted instead
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 8 large eggs, beaten
- 4 tbsp grated Parmesan-style cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- To prepare the butternut – remove the skin and seeds, cut into small cubes. Place cubes in a saucepan and cover with water. Heat gently while preparing the kale.
- To prepare the kale – wash thoroughly, discard any tough stalks and shred the leaves roughly.
- Steam the leaves over the butternut for a few minutes. The butternut should be just softening and the leaves wilted.
- Drain the squash and put cubes in a clean bowl.
- Squeeze excess liquid from the kale and add to squash.
- Heat half the oil in a frying pan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onions are soft and golden. Add to kale and butternut.
- Add cheese, eggs, salt and pepper to the vegetables. Stir gently so as not to break up the butternut cubes.
- Heat remaining oil on medium heat. Add the egg mixture and cook until just set. Meanwhile heat the grill. Place pan under hot grill until the top is golden and the frittata is cooked through. Serve warm or cold.
Kale Culture Around the World
While eating the frittata you might like to reflect on kale culture:
- The Japanese have a popular dietary supplement, known as aojiru, derived from kale juice.
- The Irish combine kale with mashed potatoes to make a traditional dish known as colcannon, popular on Halloween. (See Colcannon Recipe by Jill Harris, Suite101.)
- In Scotland, the vegetable was so popular that it became synonymous with food. To be "off one's kail" is to feel too ill to eat.
- A school of Scottish writers, which included J. M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, was known as the Kailyard School (kailyard = kale field). They wrote about traditional rural Scottish life.
The copyright of the article Kale and Butternut Frittata – Passover Cookery in Jewish Food is owned by Frances Spiegel. Permission to republish Kale and Butternut Frittata – Passover Cookery in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
