Potato Kale Bake

I love and hate Sundays. I love them because it's the one day of the week when I generally don't have anything I simply have to do- I can sleep in, go for a long walk, relax, cook, read, go to church, talk with family, watch movies, etc. I hate them because we have church at 3. 3:00 to 6:00 pm, to be precise. And yes, it's just as dreadful as you might imagine. Gone are the days of elaborate Sunday dinners. Gone are long afternoon naps. But. It does give me time and reason to make much tastier lunches than I normally would have. Which, considering my usual distaste for that meal, is quite a feat. So yesterday I decided to make this potato kale concoction before heading out to our evening church. And it was a warm, flavorful, and delicious lunch.

You'll notice in the photo above that the top layer of potatoes is embarrassingly sparse...I was a little short on potatoes to start with, and then I was overly generous with my other layers, leaving the top looking a little naked. I was tempted to wait to post this until I could make it again another day, but then I decided that our readers would forgive me (do you?) and overlook the greens peeping through. Just remember that it's preferable to cover as much kale as possible, even doubling up on the potato layer in some places if needed. Don't be stingy with them.

Potato Kale Bake
Recipe adapted from Gourmet September 2006
Picture by Kelly

1 lb kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 lb russet (baking) potatoes (4 medium), peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan on medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add kale and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. 
2. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Brush butter on the bottom and sides of a 8-10 inch round baking dish or an 8 x 8 square pan. Place a layer of potato on the bottom, brush with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread a layer of kale over the potatoes; add another layer of potato, brush with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper; spread another layer of kale; top with a potato layer. 
3. Cover with foil and bake about 25 minutes; remove foil and bake another 5-10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Serve with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.