I try to eat seasonally, and locally is even better. But I must admit, it is about this time each year, as I plunge my hand into the produce bin at the market, only to retrieve yet another clump of chard, or spinach, or dandelion greens– I curse my fate. I try to keep my cooking somewhat innovative, so I thought I had tried eating my greens most every way I could. There was steaming, braising, simmering in soup, or sauteing with a splash of vinegar. Each method was like watching a favorite movie on cable– aggravating with all of the commercials. I needed something more.

We may be more than two weeks into spring, but here in Connecticut, it is still staunchly winter. I wore a wool scarf on Easter Sunday. It was darling, teal green, and knitted by my mother, but nonetheless, it was wool. The ground however is thawing; crocuses are pushing their way through the hardened soil, and tiny buds are resting on tree branches. But as far as the produce goes, it is still January. That means yet another day of tangy oranges rather than fuzzy apricots, and a few more weeks of dark, leafy greens.

Well, I discovered a new method of getting my quotient of leafy greens. You know kale– that curly stuff more often used as a garnish at Denny’s than actually eaten as a side dish. I actually feel sorry for it. A little while ago I flipped on the television and found Jacques Pepin making baked kale and serving it much like you would potato chips. It was so simple– here’s what he did. Clean a bunch of kale, then pluck the leaves from the stem, tearing into bite-size pieces. Then toss the kale in olive oil to coat, salt, and pepper, and I added a clove or two of minced garlic. Spread the kale out in a single layer on a cooling rack-lined baking sheet. The reason for the rack, is that you want the kale to bake evenly on all sides. Place in a low, 275 degree oven, for 25-30 minutes, tossing once during the baking process– and there you have your vegetable side dish.

It may not look like much, just a pile of withered leaves, but it tastes wonderful. Different from sauteing or braising, where the kale practically cooks down to nothing, baking at this temperature is like dehydrating. The vegetable becomes chewy yet slightly crisp around the edges, and more concentrated in flavor. I, unlike Jacques, didn’t serve these as a vegetable chip, but rather I ate my kale with a piece of fish, and some roasted new potatoes. And I must say, I was quite pleased with my same, old kale.