Rice & Chickpea Kale Rolls with Pineapple Salsa

Related Post: Report Card (16 Jan. 2011)
Adapted from Vegetarian Times, January/February 2011
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Ingredients

Kale Rolls

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 wild or brown rice (I use a mixture of brown and wild that also has wheat berries and rye in it)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 large kale leaves

Salsa

• 1 20-oz can crushd pineapple packed in 100% juice, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

To make kale rolls: Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Add chickpeas, broth, rice, cumin, paprika, and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

Trim thick stems from center of kale leaves. Blanch kale in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  Remove and immediate dunk into an ice water bath to stop cooking.  Place in colander to drain until ready to use.

When filling is cooked, Place 1 large or 2 small overlapping kale leaves on work surface with tip away from you. Pull together cut edges where stem was removed to overlap. Spoon a generous portion of the chickpea mixture in center of bottom of leaf. Fold in sides, and roll up leaf to tip. Repeat with remaining kale and filling.

To make salsa: Stir together all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve kale rolls with salsa.

This recipe fed 2.5 hungry Hinds’ but could be stretched to serve 4.