refusing to play second fiddle

March 03 2010 by Kristin at The Kitchen Sink in Uncategorized » 43 comments

You know those recipes that struggle mightily to slip vegetables in unnoticed, in order to ensure that husbands and children (because, apparently, the two groups have similarly vegetable-averse palates?) get their daily intake of nutrients without laying their eyes upon the offending produce? There are entire cookbooks dedicated to the subject. Well, those recipes are not really my cup of tea.

And this recipe is proof of that. I’ve taken mac-and-cheese, people, and added kale. Emerald green, ruffly, hearty kale. It’s an unapologetically healthful addition and its presence in this dish is far from subtle. I could’ve had the kale go incognito—perhaps burying it below a lid of rigatoni oozing with cheese, or pureeing it into the bechamel, imparting the slightest inflection of green. Instead, I’ve left the kale leaves largely in tact, poking out among the noodles like folds of green crinoline.

The result is that I’ve turned mac-and-cheese, a dish I could normally live without (a statement my husband likens to blasphemy), and turned it into something I’m suddenly unsure how I ever lived without. Put simply: I love this. Were I not already spoken for, I’d want to marry it.

Not to give short shrift to the rigatoni, dressed in a cheese sauce infused with garlic and punched up with sharp cheddar and goat cheese, but, in my opinion, the kale is the best part. Because the kale is a bit unruly, the rigatoni can’t quite contain it. Instead, refusing to play second fiddle, the kale stubbornly pokes up through every crevice, which allows it to experience the oven’s heat first-hand. There, the kale’s crimped and frilly edges are bronzed, rendering them a little bit crisp, a little bit nutty. The portions of kale that do remain beneath the rigatoni, however, become silken ribbons. It’s kale two ways, and both of them are lovely. For the life of me, I don’t know why anyone would want to hide it.

Baked Rigatoni with Kale

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound tube-shaped pasta, like rigatoni
2 bunches (or about 1 pound) kale (or other hearty, leafy green, such as Swiss chard), thick stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 clove garlic, peeled
salt
freshly-ground pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1 to 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly shredded

Perheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 2- to 3-quart baking dish; set aside.

In a large pot of boiling water that has been well-salted, boil the pasta until it is just tender (not yet al dente). Add the kale to the pot with the pasta and cook for an additional two minutes, until the kale is bright green and the pasta is nearly al dente. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and then the milk. Add the garlic clove and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the liquid has become thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic clove. Add the cheddar and goat cheeses, whisking until the sauce is smooth.

Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta and kale and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour the pasta into the buttered baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and freshly-ground pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pasta and kale are lightly browned.

43 comments so far. »
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mara says on March 03 2010 at 8:35 am:

I can’t wait to make this!
The Rowdy Chowgirl says on March 03 2010 at 8:37 am:

I can just imagine the wonderful taste contrast the kale would provide in this dish. Thanks for this! I’m always on the lookout for new ways to use the bounty of kale in my garden.
tara says on March 03 2010 at 8:42 am:

Good gravy. I’d eat the whole thing. Love the two-for-one deal on the kale.
Jessica @ How Sweet says on March 03 2010 at 8:47 am:

It sounds delicious – I like how crispy the kale on top looks!
annie says on March 03 2010 at 9:00 am:

Beautiful!! I’m making this tonight.
maggie says on March 03 2010 at 9:19 am:

Love it! I’m all about the greens + baked pasta…this just looks so satisfying.
Tracey says on March 03 2010 at 10:03 am:

I’ve never had kale but you’re making me think I’m really missing out! Unfortunately, my husband definitely wouldn’t eat it (he is of the veggie-averse group) so I’ll have to wait until I’m making dinner for one.
Half Assed Kitchen says on March 03 2010 at 10:44 am:

I like that you aren’t afraid to tell (and show) the truth.
TheKitchenWitch says on March 03 2010 at 11:05 am:

I just found your blog today. I love your voice! Of course, the food looks good too, but it’s the content I’ll be back for!
Danielle says on March 03 2010 at 11:16 am:

Looks amazing! My younger son and husband are fairly averse to veggies, but myself and my older son are working hard to coax them over to the dark, more healthy side. This is a great compromise, I think. Can’t wait to try it on them!
Carol says on March 03 2010 at 1:01 pm:

oh yum! this looks divine! I work at Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm and we have a bounty of Swiss Chard right now and kale coming up. I’d like to post this recipe on our Facebook page, it looks soooooo good!
Malin says on March 03 2010 at 3:18 pm:

I’ve been craving mac-and-cheese for sometime, but kept replacing them with healthier dinner options. I never thought of combining the two!
TaraTakesTheCake says on March 03 2010 at 4:14 pm:

i could just die that i didnt discover your blog earlier, this looks like heaven!

that being said, i have never tried kale. i just signed up for my very first CSA and I get my first box tomorrow..guess what is in it

I cant wait!
Dawn (KitchenTravels) says on March 03 2010 at 5:08 pm:

“…like folds of green crinoline.” Who knew kale could be so fashionable and girly? I do so love your descriptions. xo
Esperanza says on March 03 2010 at 9:50 pm:

Definitely making this. Looks great!
Jackie says on March 03 2010 at 10:05 pm:

Hi

How many pounds of kale is 2 bunches?
Allison says on March 03 2010 at 10:08 pm:

this looks absolutely amazing. i love the combo of pasta and veggie, especially in casserole form. thanks
kate says on March 04 2010 at 7:17 am:

The idea of hiding vegetables just chaps me. Children’s palates are dumbed down so badly and it’s no wonder that they are increasingly becoming statistics. Give them, and anyone else, real food, prepared and seasoned well and they will love it. They just need a chance but no one wants to do it.

This recipe- oh my, I love it. I may have to do this for my guys. The Teen may not eat it, but I’m pretty sure the Spouse will devour it.
Sara says on March 04 2010 at 1:09 pm:

I’m with you, mac is totally something I can live without, but vegetables are not This looks like a lovely place for some kale, great recipe!
Shannalee says on March 04 2010 at 1:48 pm:

Kristin! I just blogged about the same hiding-vegetables phenomenon when I made my sweet potato brownies. This mac and cheese looks delicious and like another good exception!
Margaret Barry says on March 04 2010 at 3:54 pm:

That looks wonderful. Must make soon.
Margaret Barry says on March 04 2010 at 3:59 pm:

And if you are referring to that Seinfeld woman’s horror of a book…..I could not agree more. Utterly impractical and thoroughly distasteful. Not to mention that the kids are “tricked” into eating servings of vegetables so small that they could hardly be considered really nutritional. I didn’t read the other posts so please forgive me if I have just repeated what everyone else said……
Stephanie (Fresh Tart) says on March 04 2010 at 7:24 pm:

Oh how I love kale, and mac & cheese, great recipe. I’ve done kale in polenta before *love* but I agree with you completely – why bury kale, one of life’s great pleasures? And I admit, I’m with your husband on mac & cheese – to die.
my own little dust-pile » Blog Archive says on March 04 2010 at 10:35 pm:

[...] Here was my inspiration, but I made a few changes to suit the ingredients that I have, as you should always feel free to do. I had a big hunk of cheddar that I had made, but I didn’t have goat cheese. I did, however, have goat milk, and a goooorgeous smoky provolone from Grateful Bread. So I grated up the cheeses (a little smoke goes a long way), used goat milk for the milk, and added a wee bit extra when it looked like my sauce was not quite saucy enough for my taste. And oh my cheesy goodness was this ever delicious. The kale has a starring role in this dish, better than the best creamed spinach–not simply some attempt at being healthy by shoving it into something decadent (like when I was 10 and tried to justify eating a candy bar by shoving it in a bologna sandwich complete with lettuce. yes, it tasted every bit as vile as it sounds). This is something I would serve for company, something I will eat as leftovers, something that I will make that face over (Hala knows the one I mean) every time I eat it. This is something that cheese lovers and greens-haters alike should absolutely try. And if you have some smoky cheese lying around, toss a little in. It’ll be like mac and cheese, creamed spinach, and BBQ all rolled into one. Only, you know, vegetarian. [...]
Barbara says on March 05 2010 at 6:12 am:

Tricks never worked for me. Don’t know why anyone bothers when there are recipes like this! Mac and cheese? with kale? Yum.
I love your description of tastes and textures!
Kristin at The Kitchen Sink says on March 05 2010 at 8:52 am:

Thanks, everyone, for all the kind comments.

Carol: Please feel free to post the recipe (with attribution/link, of course).

TaraTakesTheCake: Wild guess — kale?! Enjoy the CSA share. That’s something I’d like to do.

Dawn: Thank you! Kale kind of reminds me of my little sister during her tap dancing days. A true tomboy, she was not at all pleased about the tutu she was forced to wear to her recital. Kale’s like that — totally tough, but dolled up in frilly clothes.

Jackie: It will be about 1 pound total. Good question — I’ll update the recipe.

Shannalee: I just read your post (somehow had missed — unsurprisingly, I had *not* missed the nutella post) and, by gosh, great minds think alike. : ) Also, sweet potato brownies?! Who knew.
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction says on March 05 2010 at 12:48 pm:

We got lots of kale from our CSA last year, and I LOVED it! I will definitely have to give this recipe a try.
Friday Favorites – Episode 45 | my kitchen addiction says on March 05 2010 at 2:41 pm:

[...] we’re talking about pasta, check out this Baked Rigatoni with Kale from The Kitchen Sink. It just looks so warm and inviting… and what a great way to use up all of the kale I will [...]
Joanne says on March 05 2010 at 8:40 pm:

I’m with you. If you’re going to eat veggies, then eat them. Don’t hide them. And if you’re not. Then you’re not. But you will not be eating dinner in my house if that’s the case.

This dish looks delicious! It definitely makes mac and cheese worth eating. I’ve put kale in baked ziti before with excellent results!
John Carter says on March 06 2010 at 2:42 am:

I’ve never really taken to kale but I must reconsider after reading this. The color in the photos is wonderful – I can almost smell that rigatoni dish.
Kat says on March 06 2010 at 6:14 pm:

Made this for dinner, and found it rather bland, but I think it’s my fault. Here’s what not to do: 1. Buy a cheddar that isn’t super flavourful. I would go with an Emmental or smoked Provolone as the commenter above, or something else with a strong flavour. The kale can take it. 2. Make it watery. Be very careful about draining the pasta. Water hides in rigatoni and I ended up with lots of extra liquid in the bottom of the dish. 3. Stick with plain pasta. I might even make this with a whole-wheat pasta in the future to make it more hearty.

I would also consider adding pine nuts.

That said, the crispy baked kale was wonderful – made me think of Orangette’s awesome bread pudding with kale and squash from last Thanksgiving’s Bon Appetit. I used one bunch curly and one bunch dragon for variety.
ingrid says on March 06 2010 at 8:45 pm:

All three of my children and honey have no problem eating their veggies! It’s me that has always been leery but because of their desire for fruits and veggies I’ve learn to eat and enjoy them. To their dismay I still can’t do peas!
~ingrid
nicole says on March 07 2010 at 9:54 am:

Kale, pasta and cheese sauce…all good things. Looks amazing!
jacqui says on March 08 2010 at 11:20 am:

oh this looks awesome! unfortunately, my fiance would never go for it. that’s right, he’s one of *those*.
Marianne says on March 08 2010 at 10:07 pm:

I completely agree with you on the kale front…well,actually, on the whole hiding vegetables in general. No reason to hide them, because you’ll never truly learn to enjoy them that way. Your dish looks awesome.
Beth says on March 10 2010 at 2:20 pm:

This looks amazing! We love kale, and we love mac & cheese. I can’t believe I haven’t ever put the two together.

Thank you for opening my eyes.
Kate says on March 16 2010 at 8:34 am:

I made this last night and it was TOTALLY DELICIOUS. I loved it, as did my hubby who is not a huge kale fan, and it is definitely a repeater. Thank you!
Kaitlin says on April 23 2010 at 9:49 pm:

I’ve been waiting to make this delicious dish, and it did not disappoint! Thanks, Kristin!
Laura says on April 26 2010 at 11:35 am:

Made this for the second time last night. It is fantastic! The goat cheese gives it so much more depth in flavor. It’s pretty hard not to eat the entire pan at once.
kashyakoosh says on June 24 2010 at 3:39 pm:

I have never made kale of any kind. Always wanted to but have been afraid of how to cook with it. My usual standby is spinach with rigatoni but I will def make this next time I spy some kale. thanks for the inspiration. Plus you cant go wrong with goat cheese.
Worknight Dinner Recipe: Baked Rigatoni with Kale says on February 02 2011 at 2:24 pm:

[...] I saw a recipe for baked rigatoni with kale on The Kitchen Sink Recipes, I was instantly smitten. It was love at first sight. The fact that the [...]
Sue Edison-Swift says on March 02 2011 at 6:05 pm:

I made your fabulous Rigatoni with Kale last year as one of the offerings for my Easter & birthday brunch. Tonight it soared as the solo star of dinner. WOW. How did I let almost a year go by without making it again? Too wonderful for words.
s.
Baked Rigatoni & Kale | Veggie Ventures says on September 28 2011 at 5:51 pm:

[...] This recipe was first found on TheKitchenSinkRecipes.com [...]