Kale and Shrimp...with a Side of Guilt

I have to admit, fresh fruits and vegetables seduce me every time I go to a supermarket, even more so when I go to our local co-op.  The smallish fresh case is fairly bursting with deep green spinach, cheery red peppers, brilliant orange carrots…and rainbow chard.  I cannot resist.  My animal brain is attracted to the bright colors and vivid textures.  I go in with a list of four simple items (“bulk oregano, milk, yogurt, granola”), and come out with a huge reusable bag or two filled to the brim with kale, chard, carrots, potatoes, onions, shallots, garlic, salad mix, herbs….and the list goes on.  I cannot possibly use all this before it spoils, I tell myself.  I’ve got loads of frozen vegetables and fruits from last summer, I add.  The kids are never going to eat this, I argue.  All to no avail, they’re just too tempting.

This week was no exception.  I’ve been told kale is the one of the most nutritious of the leafy greens, and is one of the few vegetables that are actually considered in season in winter.  Eating vegetables in season is important, as you are eating the food at the peak of its nutritional offering; this kale has the added advantage of being local (from Blue Moon Farm, http://www.bluemoonfarm.biz/), so it doesn’t travel very far, and I can get it in its freshest time.  What to make?  Kale chips are a possibility, but the last time I made them too salty, and they get a little soggy if you don’t eat them right away.  Sautéed kale and pork chops sounded good, but if I know my son, he just won’t dig into a pile of greens.  Better to camouflage it somehow…hmm…..

Shrimp is not local.  But I know it’s a good source of nutrients only found in fish and seafood: Omega-3s, vitamin B12, and some of those harder-to-find nutrients like selenium.  (You can find a complete list of nutrition values for shrimp here: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=107)

Shrimp is also not “organic”.  When talking about fish and seafood, one must weigh the environmental effects with the nutrition.  Wild caught fish and seafood are better for us, of course, but our seas are seriously over-fished. (I’ve read one article claiming there will be no more wild-caught salmon by 2050).  Fish and seafood farming have an environmental impact, and the product tends to have the same problems as farming confined animals on land:  disease, poor diet, and higher levels of toxic chemicals.  I tried to find information about environmentally responsible shrimp, and found a great blog entry here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/07/01/748999/-Marine-Life-Series,-DK-GreenRoots:-Responsible-Shrimp-Buying.  The bottom line, you ask?  According to the author, “The bottom line is if the shrimp is caught or farmed in temperate zones, there may be problems associated with harvesting the species, but they can still be considered an acceptable seafood choice, especially if used sparingly (like saving your shrimp meals for holidays and special occasions).  On the other hand, any tropical species of shrimp, whether wild caught or farm-raised, should be considered off limits. The human and ecological costs of harvesting these species of shrimp [are] unsustainable and frighteningly destructive to the marine and coastal environments.”

Unfortunately, I hadn’t read the article before buying the two-pound bag of shelled and deveined, tail-on, jumbo, farm-raised shrimp from Thailand.

So, it is with a mixture of guilt for the environmental impact and happiness for getting some much-needed nutrients into my growing people that I share my simple recipe.  I started with heating water to cook a package of whole-wheat penne pasta from the Amish bulk food store.  I separated the kale—2 bunches—from the stem, tore into smaller pieces, and put into my salad spinner to wash and remove some moisture.  I chopped a giant shallot and five cloves of garlic (this seems to be my “magic number” of garlic cloves for most recipes; you can use more or less to taste, of course).  I thawed and drained the shrimp according to package directions.  First, while the pasta was boiling, I threw the shallot and some olive oil into a deep skillet.  After a minute of sautéing, I added in the kale leaves and mixed in with the shallots for a minute.  I had some leftover chicken stock in the fridge, so I added about a cup of that and some salt.  This is braising, and basically just wilts the kale so it will be tender.  It only needs to cook without the lid for about three or four minutes.

Then I brought out my giant cast-iron skillet and added some high-heat sunflower oil.  I put the flame on high, threw in the garlic to warm, then I dried the shrimp on a towel and added them to the skillet.  To note:  this is a pretty quick dinner, so timing is important; the shrimp always get done more quickly than I think they will, and it’s important to not overcook them.  When they’re totally pink with no grey parts, turn off the heat; otherwise they’ll be rubbery and fishy tasting.  Just before finishing, I spritzed half a lemon on the shrimp; next time I’ll add some zest as well.  When everything was done, I drained the pasta and returned it to the pot, then added the kale (with the liquid) and shrimp, and mixed thoroughly.  My hungry crew dished it into pasta bowls and added liberal amounts of fresh grated parmesan (worth every penny over the green canister variety).  I’m sure that lots of different greens could be sneaked into this recipe, and my family assumed the kale was spinach until I corrected them.  Also, one could add some diced tomatoes and some heavy cream to the shrimp to make a heartier dish.

If you want to make this dish, and make sure it’s more environmentally responsible than my version, make sure to buy shrimp caught or farmed in temperate climates.  The shrimp may be smaller, or taste slightly different, but you will feel better about your choice.  I know I will.