Last updated on January 24th, 2012
WHAT FLOATS MY BOAT IN AUTUMN? The potato-kale galette pictured above. This is pure music, folks, a glorious duet of seasoned kale and golden garlic sandwiched between a crust of potatoes so thinly sliced and perfectly fried you’ll think you’re eating potato chips. Yes, potato chips, but with a soft, creamy interior. I plan to serve this at a small dinner party here later this month, and maybe again at Thanksgiving. Here’s the recipe:
Potato-Kale Galette
Ingredients for about 4 servings
1 lb kale, tough stems removed
4 Tbs unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
2 lbs potatoes (about 4 medium) Russet is good; I used ‘Kennebec’ potatoes from my garden
Special Equipment:
A heavy skillet, either non-stick or well-seasoned cast-iron, 12-inches diameter; a heavy 10-inch skillet to weight down the galette as it cooks; an adjustable slicer for the potatoes is helpful
1. Prearing and Cooking the kale — fold kale leaves in half, and slice along the edge to remove the fibrous stem, as shown. Then dump the leaves in a pot of boiling water and let them cook, uncovered, until tender — 4-6 minutes. Drain in a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Then grab handfuls of leaves and squeeze out all the moisture you can. Chop the clumps of leaves into small pieces. Set aside.
2. Sauteing the garlic and kale — In the 12-inch skillet, add a glug of olive oil and the 2 Tbs butter. Heat over a medium flame until the butter melts and its foam subsides. Then add the garlic and saute until it turns golden. Add the chopped kale to the garlic and saute for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Remove to a bowl; wipe out skillet.
Peeling and slicing the potatoes – Wash, peel, and then slice the potatoes 1/16th-inch thick.
I’ll have have you know that I bought a slicing gadget just for this recipe. It cost $38 and frankly, it was money well spent. Just look at those perfect, 1/16th-inch slices. If you don’t have such a gadget or “mandolin,” use a knife, and try your best to slice the potatoes as thinly as possible.
Making the galette – pour another glug (about 2 Tbs) olive oil into the skillet, along with 2 more Tbs butter. When the butter stops foaming, arrange 1/3 of the potatoes, slightly overlapping as shown, in a single layer in the skillet (this is a little like making Tarte Tatin). Be sure to cover the entire bottom of the skillet with slices. Then Pour a thin film of olive oil over the potatoes.
Spread half of the garlic and kale mixture over the potatoes, and season with a pinch each (1/8 tsp) of salt and pepper. Cover again with half the remaining potatoes, film these with olive oil, then top with the last of the kale mixture. Season again with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potato slices.
Weighing down the galette — Spray with non-stick spray a sheet of aluminum foil, and set this on top of the potatoes. Then place the second, smaller skillet on top of the foil to weigh the galette down. Continue to cook over a medium flame for 12-15 minutes — you want the bottom of the galette to be golden brown.
Turning the galette – (No pictures; this is a two-handed job.) Remove the foil, set a dinner plate or baking sheet over the galette (as shown) and then, wearing oven mitts, invert the two. Then slide the galette back into the skillet, its uncooked side now facing down. Cook for another 12-15 minutes uncovered.
Final unmolding — Set a serving plate or platter over the skillet, and invert as before.
Let me know if you’ll make this galette. You’ll find beautiful potatoes, kale and garlic at your farm-market this month (if you didn’t grow these staples in your garden).
Oh. If you want an even easier galette, try this one.
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Carole says
Oh, Kevin that looks good good, and perfect for a fall feast. Thanks for turning me on to this.
Adele says
Thank you for offering. Yes, I'd love to have a bite!
Cary says
Gorgeous Kevin! Two of my very favorites, kale and potatoes!!! Your Kennebecs are gorgeous and look huge. Congratulations. I haven't dug my All Blues and Yukon Golds yet, sometime soon. I mourn leaving my old gas Wedgewood stove in SoCal and am limping along with an electric cook top here in God's country, New England. Wonder how this would work inside the oven. My lovely cast iron skillets do not like this glass top stove (neither do I), but maybe inside the oven would work? Thanks again for a terrific idea! Thanks too for alerting me to bring my Meyer lemons, figs, and olive trees inside. Just in time! Happy Fall to you!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Cary – Glass cooktops are beautiful and easy to clean, but I know you have to be careful with the pots you place on them. Perhaps you could use a less-heavy non-stick skillet for the potatoes, and then weigh them down with a plate and a can or two of something?
More potatoes to dig here, too: Yukon Golds and Red Norland.
That's quite a move from SoCal to New England, but oh, are you going to enjoy the autumn leaves!
Anonymous says
Cary and Kevin;
I too have a glass cook top and have found that using my cast iron pans (from my grandpa) easy once I had the bottom ground flat. Works like a charm!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Anonymous – What a great tip. Where does one go to have the bottom of a cast iron pan ground down?
[email protected] says
Definitely going to make this, Kevin. I make a casserole with sliced potatoes, kale, onions, garlic, corn, a little butter, salt and pepper and gruyere–it is a little heartier than this, I think. Yummy also. You can add anything, of course–I adapted it from one my mother-in-law used to make with sausage and tons of cheese. And yes! lots of potatoes, garlic and kale.
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Meryl – nice to meet you. Your dish sounds both hearty and divine. Of course I adore Gruyere!
Dana says
G’day, I bought one of those slicing gadgets at an op/charity shop for $2, still in its box, very, very sharp but convenient!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Dana – Well, be careful with that gadget. Fingers are not one of the ingredients in this Potato-Kale Galette!