Kale and Turnip Ragoût with Italian Sausage

The veggie garden at Eckert’s is going gang-busters! Are you ready to turnip the beet and get your crew yelling kale yah? Sorry, I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to use these fun veggie puns. I truly am a horticulture nerd at heart and in the kitchen.

In all seriousness, the crop of kale and turnips is huge here in Belleville! I have been searching all around for recipes to highlight the flavors of these two fine veggies and this is my favorite recipe so far for Eckert’s Kale and Turnip Ragout with Italian Sausage. 

We have three kinds of kale on the farm this year: green, red and lacinato. Be sure to give them all a try to see if you notice the differences. Our turnips are white and purple. I don’t pick up a difference in taste between the colors but I like the purple because a little punch of color is always nice to see. Freshly harvested turnips are so tender, you need not peel them before adding them to the skillet.

This recipe can easily be made vegetarian by skipping the sausage. Also, a little shaved Parmigiano Reggiano is a nice addition if you are a cheese lover like me. 

Our Pick-Your-Own Vegetable season is just getting starting here in Belleville. Be sure to check our crop updates because new veggies are ripening daily. And, stay tuned for blackberry updates. We hope to be picking blackberries in a couple more weeks. 

Oh summer, I can hardly wait to taste all your glorious flavors!!

Eat well this summer,

Angie

Eckert’s Kale and Turnip Ragoût with Italian Sausage

INGREDIENTS
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup Eckert’s spring onions, chopped (about one 6-inch piece with green tops and bottoms)
3 cups Eckert’s diced turnips (greens removed, cut turnip into ½-inch cubes)
2 links Eckert’s Italian uncooked fresh sausages, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6 cups de-stemmed chopped kale (about 16-ounces)
½ cup unsalted chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups (14 oz) chopped or diced unsalted tomatoes, undrained (we recommend Pomi brand)
¼ tsp. red chili flakes
2 (16 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste

 DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and turnips to pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables about 8 minutes or until slightly softened. Add sausage pieces and garlic to the pan. (The sausage pieces need to be spread throughout the pan in a single layer.) Cook about 3-minutes.

Add chopped kale to the pan. Toss with vegetables and sausage. Immediately add the stock, diced tomatoes and chili flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 8 to 10-minutes; stirring occasionally or until the kale is tender. Gently fold in beans.

Serves 6.