- Course: Antipasto/Mezze, Appetizer
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Cost: Moderate
- Favorited: 31 Times
Can be made ahead of time.
There are many of varieties of kale, such as Lacinato and Red Russian, in a range of colors from deep blue-green to purple-red, some with frilly or crinkled leaves and others with flat leaves. Substitute chard, mustard, or beet greens, although the blanching time will vary.
Garnish the toasts with thin shavings of Parmesan cheese. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the cheese.
Stem and wash the kale, shaking off excess water. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the kale until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the kale, then plunge it into a large bowl of ice water. Drain again and, using your hands, squeeze most of the water out. The greens don’t need to be completely dry. Roughly chop the kale and set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the sherry and the raisins over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside to steep for at least 10 minutes.
In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, another minute or two. Add the kale, sherry, raisins, anchovies, orange juice and zest, and red pepper flakes. Cover the pan, turn the heat to low, and cook until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Remove the cover, raise the heat to medium-high, and boil away most of the excess liquid. Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Top each of the toasts with some of the greens, either warm or at room temperature, and top with shavings of Parmesan. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.
A STEP AHEAD: You can blanch, shock, squeeze, and chop the greens a few days ahead Store in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Do the final cooking a few hours ahead and the greens at room temperature until you’re ready to serve them.
HOW TO MAKE TOASTS
Cut a French baguette or Italian bread on the diagonal into slices about 1/3 inch thick. Lightly brush both sides with olive oil. Place the slices under the broiler, turning once, until golden and toasted.
Nutritional information includes 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil for brushing on the toasts.