to the humble kale chip

i'm mortified that i'm just writing about kale chips now. i read about them years ago, dismissed them before tasting them, was happily converted last fall (thank you alix and frank) and have happily been devouring them by the panful ever since.

i know my avoidance doesn't stem from any stigma about the glorification of easy food, as i've been waxing exuberant about three ingredient salads all summer. and i know it's not because lots of bloggers talk them up, because i've been perfectly happy to hop on overcrowded foodblog bandwagons plenty of times in the past (like, say, the no-knead bread that i still bring up every few days).

no, i'm pretty sure that what's been holding me back is that kale chips, when made properly, are ugly little suckers (lo, avert your eyes!).
i mean, it's a pile of teetering-on-burnt greens; let's give them a break. i like to use curly kale (i actually just typed kurly cale, good lord) because i love the way the lacy edges crisp up while some of the interiors remain a little more pliant, deeply caramelized in some spots. certain bites are strongly reminiscent of dried nori, while others are kale through and through, the bitter edges of raw greens rounded out in the oven. add some salt and a slick of olive oil and you have the makings of a seriously addictive snack. one which can ruin friendships (or at least start fights) when you open the oven to find that oh, they shrunk down a lot during baking and a glorious bunch of kale has been reduced to a few measly handfuls, or enough to satisfy one normal snacker. it's okay, kale is cheap. succumb to the chips. get a couple pans going at the same time. throw another batch in when you start in on your first one. you and your friends/family/significant other/dog will be happy you did.

and for the record, my defense of the kale chip does not derive from a health stand point. not even close. these are tenable solely on the grounds of their taste and crispiness. i am not trying to rewrite the potato chip. if we're being honest with ourselves, i'm not even entirely sure that baking kale like this leaves a lot of its nutritional profile in tact--although i have a friend who likes to make his in a food dehydrator to get around this problem. i've never tried that but if you have a food dehydrator lying around (har har har) it's certainly worth trying. my point is that this is not a health food, it is a pleasure food. as it should be.

kale chips

• 1 bunch kale (i like curly, but i hear dinosaur kale works just as well)
• 1-2 tbsps olive oil
• salt to taste

preheat oven to 325°F. rinse and dry kale and tear into bite-sized pieces, removing stems and large ribs. spread out on 1 or 2 baking sheets, lined with parchment paper if you like (don't be shy about using two if you need them, you don't want to overcrowd your chips) and toss with olive oil and salt (use your hands). start with less olive oil and add the rest if you think you need it--you want a light slick of oil but your kale shouldn't be bordering on greasy. bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. check once or twice midway through baking and give chips a toss with some tongs to make sure they bake evenly. remove from oven and eat while still warm--i suppose you could let them cool, but mine have never lasted long enough for me to try them that way.

if you want to get fancy, which i see no reason to do, i have a friend who likes to sprinkle his with nutritional yeast. a smattering of dried, powdered garlic would probably also be very tasty. even a couple of whole spice seeds, like cumin or fennel, tossed into your kale before baking, could be interesting. play around with it, if you like.