Simple Recipes: Sautéed Kale with Bacon

Let my start by saying this is one of my all-time favorite recipes. I love it. My friends in college would actually tease me about how much I loved kale because of this dish. I started off making this recipe and discovered my love for kale (I already knew I loved bacon!). Soon after I began adding kale into other recipes and experimenting with it. There are definitely some other great ways to make it, but this one remains at the top of the list in my book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Start off with a about 1/2 of a bunch of kale. Take the individual stalks and use a knife to de-stem them. Once you're finished, use the knife to cut the kale leaves into smaller pieces. You don't have to be super specific in making them a certain size. You just don't want them to be too long or stringy.

Meanwhile, chop 2-3 slices of bacon into small squares. Then put them into a skillet and cook on medium until browned. Since bacon produces its own grease you do not need to add any oil at any point. Make sure the bacon browns before you add in the kale since the kale will only take 2-3 minutes to cook. If you add in the kale too soon, you're bacon won't be cooked enough. Gross!

While it's cooking, season it with salt and pepper to taste. I prefer to go light on the salt (bacon already has a good amount of sodium in it) and go heavier on the pepper.

After the bacon is browned, you will add in the kale and begin to mix it all together. Kale cooks extremely quickly and it will make loud sizzle sounds when you first add it in the pan. Beware of grease popping out! With the skillet on medium you should only leave it on the burner for 2-3 minutes. During this time, add in a few good drops of balsamic vinegar. Continue to stir it.

The vinegar will darken the color of the kale leaves and make them a bit more dense. Once you see the leaves darkening and becoming more dense, you can turn the burner off and serve.