
I realize this neither looks nor sounds like something you’d aspire to make. But maybe it looks like something you actually would make? I debated posting this because really, it’s pretty basic. Which is exactly what some evenings call for and it also illustrates what I eat on nights when I need to magic up another dinner from a near empty fridge. This happens a lot around here because we shop as we go, trying to make sure we use everything up whilst it’s as fresh as possible and don’t waste a thing.
So. Sweet potatoes and kale. Half an onion and some last cloves of garlic. A lime. Then, some baharat for seasoning. I love baharat because when cooked, the paprika mellows and gives way to the sweeter spices in the mix. In case you’re not familiar with this middle eastern mix or want to mix up your own, the ingredients are as follows:
Baharat
2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
(via )
Once you have that spice mix put together, the rest of the meal is a breeze. I was still in an Amos Lee mood, so I put the album on nice and loud and got to work in the kitchen. I started by baking my boyfriend some of his favorite cornbread. I used recipe, except I had to go a little ad-hoc on it, making the buttermilk with whole organic milk + lime juice and I also omitted the sugar. He said the cornbread went down really, really well with the kale.
Garlic & Lime Kale with Baharat Sweet Potato Wedges
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 large bag of chopped kale (I used enough to fill a medium saucepan right up to the top)
Half a red onion, diced small
2 cloves of garlic, sliced as fine as you can (, as would say)
4T water
Juice of 1 lime
2 or 3 sweet potatoes, depending on size and hunger level, chopped into wedges. I leave the skin on, just scrub them well!
1T (roughly) baharat (enough to dust each sweet potato wedge)
Butter to grease the baking pan
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease it with the butter.
Put the sweet potato wedges on the baking sheet and dust with the baharat. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until soft.
Meanwhile, put the kale, onion, garlic and water in a saucepan. Put the lid on and heat over medium heat on the stove top. The water will steam everything. Just shake the pan every now and then and take it off the heat as soon as the kale is bright emerald green, this will be about 8 minutes but just keep an eye on it. Drain off any excess liquid then squeeze the lime juice over the kale, toss and then plate. Serve with the baked sweet potato wedges and some southern style cornbread, if that’s your style!




