Brown Butter Kale

The day before Thanksgiving, the last thing we want is a complicated recipe. Here's a simple, yet delicious recipe from Tom Douglas that includes one of the Puget Sound region's best growing (and extraordinarily healthy) vegetables: kale.

Ingredients:
2½ pounds kale
8 tablespoons (equals 1 stick) unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges

Method:
1. Stem and wash the kale, shaking off excess water. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the kale until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain the kale in a large colander, then let cold water run over it until it is cool enough to handle. Using your hands, squeeze most of the water out. It does not need to be squeezed completely dry. Then roughly chop the kale.
2. Melt the butter in a very large sauté pan (or divide between 2 pans, if you don’t have a large enough pan) over medium-high heat. Allow the butter to bubble and turn golden brown, with a toasted fragrance. Watch carefully- this will only take a few minutes.
3. Add the kale to the pan and stir it around until it’s mixed with the butter and warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. Pile on a platter and garnish with lemon wedges to squeeze over.

Note: You can blanch, squeeze, and chop the kale a few days ahead. Store in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.