| Lacinato kale | |
| Genus: | Brassica |
| Species: | Brassica oleracea |
| Group: | Acephala group |
Lacinato kale, also known as Tuscan kale, Italian kale, dinosaur kale, kale, flat back kale, palm tree kale, black Tuscan palm,[1] [2] or, in Italian and often in English, Italian: cavolo nero|i=no, is a variety of kale from the Acephala group of cultivars Brassica oleracea grown for its edible leaves. Lacinato has a long tradition in Italian cuisine, especially that of Tuscany, where it has been grown for centuries,[3] and it is one of the traditional ingredients of minestrone[4] and ribollita.
Lacinato kale grows 2to tall[5] and has dark blue-green leaves with an "embossed texture"; its taste is described as "slightly sweeter and more delicate" than curly kale[6] and "slightly bitter [and] earthy".[7] The lacinato variety is sometimes called dinosaur kale because its bumpy leaves may resemble what dinosaur skin looked like,[8] and perhaps because the unique appearance of the leaves is evocative of primordial flora. Because of its taste, it has been called "the darling of the culinary world".[9]
Lacinato kale, like most other kale varieties, is usually blanched first, and then sautéed with other, flavourful ingredients; in Campanian cuisine, anchovies are often added.[3] It is commonly used in pastas and soups, but can also be eaten raw, in a salad.[10]
In Tuscan cuisine, lacinato kale is often used in ribollita (literally: "reboiled"), a thick, hearty soup made up of ingredients cooked for a meal the day before.[11]
In Dutch, it is called (as in German) Dutch; Flemish: palmkool or Dutch; Flemish: palmkohl, referring to the palm-like shape with the leaves growing from the stem, especially after the bottom leaves are harvested. In Swedish and Finnish, it is known as Swedish: svartkål or Swedish: mustakaali, meaning 'black cabbage'.
Lacinato kale dates to the 18th century in Italy. This cultivar is popular among gardeners because of its colour and texture,[12] [13] and was amongst the plants Thomas Jefferson recorded in his 1777 garden at Monticello.[14] The plant grows to a height of 2-1NaN-1, with blistered leaves often over in length and wide. The straplike leaves[15] are typically harvested from the bottom of the stem, leaving the remainder of the plant resembling a palm tree.