Produce Guide - K

Kale

Kale is a member of the cabbage family, but like collards, it is a loose-leafed variety. Also called "curly kale," it looks like a genetically enhanced bunch of parsley. Its large, frilly leaves can vary in colour from apple to ivy to bluish green, as well as pink, purple and silvery-white. It is not unusual to find flowering kale (also called salad Savoy) in flowerbeds, but although this showy plant is edible, you won't be thanked for filching it for your supper.

This hardy green is best known in northern climates, from Scandinavia to Scotland. The Scots are particular fans, and being "invited to cail" is still an invitation to dinner. Traditionally kale is cooked long and slow. While some people appreciate the soft, mild results, I prefer it crisp and with a bit of kick, which it has in a stir-fry or sautéed in a bit of bacon fat or butter.

Available year-round, kale is at its best once it's been nipped by frost, and your best bet is to buy it from December through April. Choose a smallish bunch with vibrant colour and moist, crisp leaves. Stay away from kale that is turning yellow - a sign of age - or has wilted stems and tired-looking greens. Although it is prized for its endurance in the ground, once harvested and home, kale should be used as soon as possible. It will keep in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag for about two days.

Kiwis

The darling of nouvelle cuisine in the 1980s, the kiwi is now a staple in many Canadian homes, sitting comfortably alongside apples and bananas in our fruit bowls. But while it's now a favourite among chefs and children alike, this fuzzy little New Zealander wasn't an overnight success. In fact, the fruit wasn't even introduced to New Zealand until 1906, when James McGregor brought home some Chinese gooseberry seeds from his travels in the Far East. The vines thrived in the acidic soils of New Zealand's North Island, and the locals were quick to appreciate the exotic fruit. Commercial cultivation didn't take off until after the Second World War, when the possibilities of European export dawned on a few visionary farmers. But the fruit didn't do well in Europe until exporters dropped the name Chinese gooseberry - with its Communist associations - in favour of kiwi fruit, after New Zealand's hairy, flightless bird.

One of the reasons for the fruit's great success is that, like New Zealanders themselves, the kiwi is a great traveller. The fruit ripens slowly after being picked, and its hairy skin provides natural protection against bruising and splitting. The kiwi is now cultivated around the world, and the Canadian market sees fruit primarily from California, Chile, Greece, Spain, and Italy throughout the year. Look out for the "golden kiwi." This new variety has yellow flesh, a flat stem-end, and a great, honey-like flavour.

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi is a bit of an oddity in the world of greens because it looks more like a root vegetable, and it is grown primarily for its bulbous stalk rather than its leaves. However, it does grow above ground and is in fact a member of the cabbage family, despite the second part of its name, rabi, which means turnip in German. This "cabbage-turnip" looks a bit extraterrestrial, with long, leafy tentacles sprouting from pale green or purple bulbs that can range in size from golf ball to baseball. No doubt its appearance has helped to convince North Americans that this is a strange if not exotic vegetable, but in Europe, Israel, and South East Asia, kohlrabi is as common as cabbage. But don't be misled by all this talk of cabbage; kohlrabi actually tastes more like broccoli, with perhaps a hint of radish.

You can find kohlrabi in most supermarkets from late May through November, although its peak season is in early summer. The tops may be removed, but keep your eye out for bulbs with their leafy greens still attached, as you can use the leaves as a garnish or add them to soups and stews. Either way, choose small bulbs, which will be more tender, unless you wish to stuff and bake them, in which case go for the larger variety. They should have smooth, unblemished skin, with no visible cracks or fibres.

Kumquats

Kumquats have moved up in the world. Where they were once lumped in with oranges as a citrus fruit, they now enjoy classification in their very own genus, Fortunella. And rightly so, for although they may look like miniature oranges, they are structurally more simple, and have a thin, pith-free, edible skin. And, in contrast to oranges, it is the kumquat's skin that is silky-sweet, while its flesh can be deliciously - or shockingly - sour. (It rather depends on your tolerance for the pucker factor.)

The kumquat's name comes from chin kan, Cantonese for "golden mandarin," and although the fruit is native to China, it has long been cultivated in Japan, California, Florida, Israel, Brazil, and Argentina. The plant has become a popular ornamental shrub for many Canadian gardeners, but although it is much hardier than any citrus tree, few people north of the border have any real success in getting it to bear fruit.

We generally see kumquats during the winter months, from November through April. While they are all small, with smooth yellow or orange skins, some kumquats are oval and others are round. The round varieties are thought by some to be a bit sweeter and more tender, but I have never noticed the difference. When ripe, the fruits should be soft but not squishy. Unripe kumquats will take only a day or two at room temperature to soften up, but ripe fruit can be refrigerated for up to two weeks. To prepare, simply give them a rinse under running water, and then they are ready to be thrown high into the air and caught between your teeth, or served as part of an elegant fruit platter. You can, if you like, plump and soften kumquats by blanching them in boiling water for 20 seconds before plunging them in ice cold water. Halved or quartered, they enliven everything from salads to stews, and make a colourful garnish for grilled meats and fish, pastries and cakes. In China, kumquats are preserved in honey or sugar; in the Middle East they are pickled; and almost everywhere else they are turned into excellent marmalade.

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