Coconut Sesame Kale
The other day I was standing in line at the grocery store, and I noticed packages of kale chips at the cashier stand — $7.49 for a little box! I decided I needed to make these again at home ASAP. I did a Miso Peanut Kale Chip post some time ago. Remember these?
I began experimenting again. I decided I wanted a lighter, crispier chip in less time. So I used coconut oil, a bit of sesame oil, and soy sauce for flavor and sprinkled on sesame seeds. Instead of 200 degrees, I roasted them at 375 for 15 minutes. Then I turned off the oven, removed the already crisp ones, and let the not quite crisp kale chips roast in the residual heat. I kept checking after 5 minutes and removed the crispy ones so they didn’t burn and let the others stay in. The result was a really light, very crispy kale chip that kept for days in an air tight container and did not lose their crisp! So this is the method I shall be using in the future. The coconut oil gave it a real lightness and subtle coconut flavor.
Another soy-sesame based recipe I would like to share was inspired by the Weight Watcher’s 50th Anniversary Cookbook which I reviewed in my last post. I used salmon instead of tuna and I grilled it on the stove, rather than on an outdoor grill.
This is so good with hot white rice with some of the accumulated juices spooned on top!
The flavor was incredible! The texture was flaky and moist! It was the best salmon I have made in a long time. Even Jamie loved it and asked for seconds — and he’s usually not a big salmon eater.
I used Kirkland frozen salmon, which I thawed overnight in the refrigerator. I marinated the fillets in a soy, ginger, lemon, sesame oil marinade for 30 minutes, then grilled on the stove in a cast iron grill pan. Because I heated the pan for four to five minutes beforehand, it was piping hot — perfect for beautiful, crispy grill marks and a slightly caramelized flavor. The crunchy exterior contrasted with the silky, richness of the interior meat.
I love that I was able to grill it on the stove, making this a dish I’m likely to repeat when it’s too cold to grill outside!
Coconut Sesame Kale Chips
Non-stick spray
One large bunch of kale, leaves torn up, thick stems removed and discarded
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
pinch of kosher salt (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil or parchment and spray with non-stick spray.
2. Mix oils and soy sauce and sesame seeds together in a small bowl
3. Place 1/2 of kale leaves in a large mixing bowl and drizzle 1/2 of oil and soy mixture on top. Rub into kale with clean hands to coat well. Spread seasoned kale in one layer on one of the baking sheets. Repeat with the other half and kale and spread onto second baking sheet. Sprinkle kale with salt to taste.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir leaves in baking pan. Remove any to a plate that are completely crispy.
5. Turn off oven and return baking sheets inside, letting kale crisp up in the residual heat. Check every 5 minutes, removing crisp ones to plate and letting others bake longer.
6. Cool completely before storing.
Soy-Sesame Grilled Salmon based on a recipe from The Weight Watcher’s 50th Anniversary Cookbook
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 salmon fillets (I used Kirkland’s)
non-stick spray
1. Combine all ingredients except salmon and non-stick spray in a large container or freezer bag. Add salmon fillets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning once.
2. Heat a grill pan on the stove until very hot – about 4-5 minutes. Spray with non-stick spray.
3. Grill salmon for about 1-2 minutes, until top is starting to look opaque. Turn over and grill for another minute or less. Transfer to a plate and let sit for a few minutes.
