Braised Local Russian Red Kale with Seared Beef Tenderloin Steak

Finished with a Port Buerre Rouge

Serves 4 people

With the coming of spring, we were inspired to create this meal. As the first of the season greens are coming together, we chose to incorporate Pond Hill’s Russian Red Kale into a recipe. With all of us anxious to brush off our grills and enjoy the tantalizing flavors of grilled meat, we felt a lightly seasoned seared tenderloin steak would match beautifully with the warmth of the braised kale. The mellow citrus qualities of the bosc pear brought out thoughts of a spring day. And, the salty crunch of local bacon adds that special smokiness to the dish. To tie together these flavors we topped the dish with a fine port buerre rouge which get its name from the red color of the port.

This is a great recipe for entertaining. You can cook your bacon and make your beurre rouge ahead of time. Chop and prep the other ingredients. Then it’s time to cook the steaks. Once your steaks have cooked and are resting, you can braise your kale and pears. Both the braise and the steaks should be done and ready to serve at the same time. Finish by drizzling the port buerre rouge over the dish.

This recipe would also be wonderful with pork tenderloin or veal chops. You can substitute the kale with spinach, arugula or Northwind Farms Braising Mix.