Kale what's it for?

I have planted 2 rows of dwarf green curly kale. They are growing rapidly, so
which leaves do I pick, and what do I do with them?
Will they last through the winter - they're about 18 inches high
Thanks

kale is a brassica so just use it like greens in winter trim the central vein off and chop the rest like cabbage.  it's lovely and strong flavoured; full of iron. 

I never harvest anything from mine until after the first frosts; that way they will have put on sufficient bulk to last the winter when there's not much else around, and you only take some of the younger (not the youngest) leaves from near the top/middle of the plant.  You'll know these because come winter the new leaves will be so abundantly curly, yet the older one's will have opened out somewhat.

If you like a dark cabbage you'll love kale

Its good for adding a bit of green to winter soups.

No question the best way to eat kale is Colcannon

Steam kale for 10 mins and chop up.
Slowly soften an onion in butter until soft and sweet.
Add onion and kale to mashed potatoe with as large a knob of butter as your waistline will allow.

Eat huge plateful on its own, or with ham, bacon or corned beef.

(If you've boiled the meat, you could cook the kale in the water when you take the meat out to rest)

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!  i'm not on a low cholesterol diet!! I'm gonna try that one; thanks Livvy!   :happy:

I like it chopped up and cooked in a tiny bit of oil in the frying pan.  It goes a little crispy on the edges like seaweed from the Chinese.