Cassell's dictionary of cookery

so delicate. Unblanched it is worthless. Persons ignorant of the proper mode of doing this by earthing up the plants and covering them with pots, when they came into possession of gardens where it had been planted, have been known to root it up, and throw it away, because thej' tasted only its full-grown leaves, and found them unpalatable. It is the action of light which imparts its strong and bitter taste to sea kale, as well as its glaucousgreen and reddish-purple colouring. Consequently, sea kale after it is cut should be kept in a dark place till wanted. If exposed in an open situation, it will in two or three days acquire a decided tinge, which injures both its appearance and flavour. Sea kale is amongst the earliest of vegetables. It may frequently be procured in January, and is in full season from February to June. Sea Kale {see also Kale, Sea). Sea Kale, Boiled. — When fresh and delicately cooked, sea kale resembles and will serve as a substitute for asparagus. Carefully wash and brush the sea kale to remove the sand and grit, cut out the black part of the roots, and tie the shoots in small bundles. Throw these into plenty of boiling water slightly salted, and keep them boiling quickly until tender. Take them up, drain them, untie the bunches, and serve the kale on toast, with all the heads in one direction, and with plain melted butter or white sauce poured over it, or, if preferred, without the toast, and dry. If required to be served on toast, the latter may be soaked in the water in which the kale was cooked, that is provided the liquor remains colourless ; otherwise it will impart a bitter taste to the toast. Time — the better the kale is, the quicker it wiU be done ; if young and fresh, it will be done enough in from twenty to thirty minutes ; if stale and discoloured, it will need from forty to fifty minutes. If there is any suspicion that the kale is stale, the water should be poured off when it is half done, and fresh water substituted. Probable cost when plentiful, lOd. to Is. per basket. Sufficient, twelve heads for three or four persons. Sea Kale, Choosing of.— Sea kale should be dressed as soon as possible after it is cut. When fresh, it is white in colour and crisp. If it has acquired a dark tinge, and is limp to the touch, it is stale and comparatively worthless. After it is purchased it shoiild be kept covered up, and in a dark place, till i wanted. I Sea Kale, Cultivation of .—The followj ing are Mr. Loudon's observations on the use of sea-kale : — " The young spring shoots and the stalks of the unfolding leaves, blanched by rising through the natural ground in a wild state, or by earthing up in gardens, are the parts used ; and when boiled and dressed like asparagus are not inferior to that vegetable. They form also an excellent ingredient in soups. Sometimes the ribs of the large leaves are peeled and dressed as asparagus, after the plant has ceased to send up young growths. By forcing, sea-kale may be had in perfection from November tiU IMay, a period including aU the dead months of the year. It is remarked by Nicol, that vegetables are seldom improved I by forcing, but that sea-kale forms an exception, ! the forced shoots produced at mid-winter being more crisp and delicate in flavour than those I produced in the natural way in April or May.