sea kale with pecorino romano and lemon

cavolo marino con pecorino romano e limone

This recipe also works well with cime di rapa and purple sprouting broccoli.

for 6

2 kg sea kale

150 g Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated

peel of 1 thick-skinned lemon, washed and finely chopped

1 × 800 g tin peeled plum tomatoes, drained of their juices

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 small dried red chillies, crumbled

85 ml extra virgin olive oil

Remove the tough part of the sea kale stalks and the larger outside leaves. Wash thoroughly.

Put the tomatoes into a thick-bottomed pan and gently heat, stirring to prevent sticking and to help break them up into a sauce. Cook for 10 minutes, then add half the garlic and parsley. Add salt, pepper and dried chilli and cook very briefly, about 2 minutes.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, add salt and blanch the kale for 5–8 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Mix together the remaining garlic and parsley and half the lemon peel. Add the extra virgin olive oil. Toss the sea kale with this mixture and put on to a warm serving plate. Top with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining lemon zest and the Pecorino.