Sea Kale

A perennial plant that grows wild along the shores of the Baltic and Black Sea and the Atlantic Coast. Dark green in color and frilly-edged, the leaves of this plant are harvested with stalks in early spring while the flavor of the leaves and flowering shoots are still mild. Like traditional kale, this kale is a member of the cabbage family but is not considered a type of kale, like kale greens. Sea kale is generally cooked similar to asparagus and served with a mild sauce or butter. The stalk provides a taste similar to kohlrabi while the green leaves taste similar to a strong cabbage. Limited in production, sea kale is commercially grown primarily in the U.K. and France. This kale is also known as chou marin, silver kale, or scurvy grass.