Is sea kale edible?
The large leaves are prepared and used like spinach or regular garden kale, although older leaves are often bitter and tough. The attractive, fragrant blooms are also edible. Even the roots are edible, but you’ll probably want to leave them in place so they can continue to produce sea kale plants year after year.
Can You boil sea kale leaves?
More mature leaves can also be boiled to reduce bitterness and consumed or fried to create a crispy snack. Sea kale shoots are the most popular part of the plant and are commonly blanched and prepared similarly to asparagus. The flower stems are comparable to broccoli and can be boiled or steamed for a crunchy side dish.
How to grow sea kale?
To grow sea kale, plant the shoots in beds and harvest them when they are 4 to 5 inches (10-13 cm.) long. You can also plant seeds directly in the garden in March or April. The young shoots must be blanched to keep them sweet, tender, and white. Blanching involves covering the shoots with soil or a pot to block the light.
What are sea kale shoots?
Naturally forced sea kale shoots. Where the sea deposits pebbles, shingle, driftwood and seaweed on emerging sea kale shoots, they develop long, pale tender stems in their stretch for light. This adds extra deliciousness to an already scrumptious vegetable.
Current Facts
Sea kale, botanically classified as Crambe maritima, is a clump-forming perennial that belongs to the Brassicaceae, or cabbage family.
Nutritional Value
Sea kale is an excellent source of vitamin C and also contains some calcium, vitamin B6, magnesium, and manganese.
Applications
Sea kale can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications such as blanching, boiling, steaming, roasting, frying and sautéing. Young leaves, stems, and seed pods can be used raw in salads or as a garnish to add a bittersweet flavor. More mature leaves can also be boiled to reduce bitterness and consumed or fried to create a crispy snack.