Kale Black Magic

Long, slender leaves mature to a rich green that looks almost black from a distance: this is the new kid on the block, it’s more uniform, better in colder northern areas and British bred. This Italian black cabbage has a great flavour and can be used from baby leaf to full size.

SOW: from March to July, in modules/pots or a seed bed and transplant to growing position when large enough to do so.

GROW: plant at 50cm apart. Keep them watered in dry weather.

ENJOY: pinch off young leaves for salads as soon as the plants reach 5cm tall. Then remove the lower, outer leaves; this allows the plant to keep growing upwards and produce more leaves. If you have the space keep the plants until they run to seed (mid-spring) and then they produce delicious shoots that you can harvest and cook in the same way as tenderstem broccoli. Kale is often served with egg and fish dishes: try it in a soup, stew or stir fry.