German style Kale

Courtesy of the Bilowiches comes this recipe for German-style Kale - it sounds delicious and I can't wait to try it! (Especially step 9...)

Kale, German style

Note: kale tastes great when fresh picked, but it tastes better after it has been through a frost or if you freeze the leaves before using them.

1. Take 8-12 medium to large kale leaves, boil in unsalted water for 2 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water.
2. Remove the leaves from the ice water, and chop very fine.
3. Fry a medium onion and a garlic clove in oil or butter. Add salt and pepper.
4. When the onion is translucent, add the chopped kale. Add enough chicken or beef broth to cover the kale. If desired, add a teaspoon of mustard.
5. Cook for 40 to 60 minutes, adding broth as needed. Kale is dry and does not release much liquid. Stir often to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
6. After 20 minutes of cooking, add 2 links of kielbasa, either whole or cut into bite-sized pieces. In addition to or instead of kielbasa, cooked bacon or smoked pork can be used. If you like meat – add more. If you like less – add less. But add at least a little because it greatly improves the flavor of this dish.
7. After 40-60 minutes, taste the kale to see if it is soft. Add salt, pepper and mustard to taste. Kale is tough, and it takes a long time to get soft.
8. Serve over boiled potatoes.
9. The tradition German accompaniment to this dish is a small glass of clear schnaps (called ‘Korn’ in German). The meal is followed by a small glass of herbal liqueur.
10. This is a great winter dish because it is hearty and filling and you can pick kale all winter.