Top five recipes to celebrate the kale season

With one of the longest British-grown veg seasons, kale offers a delicious splash of green to these top five recipes to add a little warmth and nutrition to cool spring evenings. 

Slow-cooked black kale bruschetta

This delicious slow-cooked black kale bruschetta can be eaten as a starter or dressed up with ham or eggs for a more substantial meal. Feel free to omit the crème fraîche and instead use ricotta, mozzarella or burrata. Add a pinch of dried chilli and a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme to the cooking pot for extra punch. 

Guy’s kale hash

This kale, chorizo and potato hash is the ultimate weekend breakfast or hearty dinner on a cold day. Top with a poached egg to make a more complete meal. You can also use cabbage or sliced Brussels sprouts in place of kale here.

Celeriac, kale and mushroom pie

A deliciously hearty pastry-topped dish, this autumn warmer gives the heartiest of meat stews a run for its money. Cooking the component parts may seem a bit fiddly but it ensures each ingredient retains its perfect flavour and texture. 

Baked potatoes with cheesy kale filling

These vegetarian baked potatoes hit that magic spot somewhere between decadent and worthy. They make a great simple and inexpensive midweek dinner and can be easily adapted to your kitchen contents: use chard or spinach if you have this in your veg box instead of kale, or use a smoky cheese such as Gruyère in place of cheddar.

Kale, spelt and chorizo big soup

This ‘big soup’ is a chunky broth that’s almost a stew. It’s a great style of dish for using up the last odds and ends in your winter veg box. The basic requirements are onion and garlic, a grain, good stock and lots of veg, but you can liven it up with bacon or chorizo, by stirring in pesto or by sprinkling over gremolata. It also reheats well.