Recipe #69: Kale for breakfast? Um ... YES!

Mark DuMond just finished his second month of culinary school (Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts), and so far so good. Yesterday, chef/instructor Darryl Dela Cruz tossed out a surprise challenge to the class: He had two big boxes of fresh kale that wouldn't last the weekend, so he had each of the 30 or so students come up with a dish on-the-spot using kale.

So Mark came up with a dish called "Kale For Breakfast" which is a sort of deconstructed bacon-and-eggs dish. After tasting it, the chef said, "Now you're thinking like a chef!" and added, "If I had my own restaurant, this dish would be on the menu." Pretty nice praise for a dish that was conjured up on the fly.

2 strips bacon, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 russet potato, peeled and medium diced
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and shredded
1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. butter
1 egg

Heat a skillet and add the bacon. Cook until the fat is rendered. Add the shallot and potato and fry until it just starts to brown. Add the kale and cook until it wilts. Add the chicken stock, lower heat, and braise, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When the potatoes are tender, add butter and cream, and stir gently. Let the mixture cook over low heat until bubbly.

In another skillet, heat butter until hot, crack an egg into the pan, and fry it "sunny side up." Put the bacon/kale/potato mixture into the center of a warm plate and slide the fried egg on top. Sprinkle with a little black pepper and serve immediately.