1 pound plain old curly kale, washed, stems removed, cut into ribbons (roughly. We’re not going for julienned kale, here. Just take the leaves and run your knife through them).
1 pound savoy cabbage, washed, cored, and cut into ribbons
2 tablespoons olive oil (spring for the extra virgin here).
1 medium onion, finely chopped (see above)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
8 leaves fresh sage, minced
1 teaspoon herbes de provence (you can use dried thyme if you don’t have herbes de provence, but herbes de provence are a staple in my kitchen)
Salt and Pepper
2 eggs
½ c. fideus (see above for notes on preparation)
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (don’t skimp on this – Gruyere really has the best flavor. If you really can’t find it, use the sharpest cheddar you can find.)
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large pan with a lid (I used a 3.5 quart dutch oven and wish it had been a little bigger), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook, stirring until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic, sage and herbes de provence, and cook for a minute or so or until it smells really really good.
Stir in the kale and sprinkle over it about ½ teaspoon salt. Cover, and cook until the kale begins to wilt (stir frequently). When most of the kale has wilted, add the cabbage and a little salt. Cover and cook, stirring periodically, until the cabbage is wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the beaten eggs, 2 oz. of the Gruyere, the fideus and ½ c. water to the vegetables in the pot. Stir until combined, and scrape into an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and the remaining cheese on top. Bake 40 minutes. This can be served hot or warm, and can be covered and refrigerated until the next day.
Notes
Adapted from the New York Times, March 6, 2009
Recipe by The Domestic Front at http://www.thedomesticfront.com/kalecabbagegratin/