Kale-sprout hybrid slowly making its way into kitchens

Years before anyone cared about kale and way before Brussels sprouts went viral, Tozer Seeds, the largest family-owned vegetable-breeding company in England, started playing around with the idea of producing a hybrid combination of the two.

Called Flower Sprouts, they debuted in 2010 at a single department store, Marks & Spencer in London. By late 2014, the market had spread elsewhere in the U.K., Scandinavia and Europe, where sprouts' popularity dwarfs kale's.

Now the American version from Tozer - under the brand name Kalettes, to cash in on our continuing obsession with all things kale - is available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and other select supermarkets. They sell for $2.99 to $3.99 for 5- to 8-ounce packages, and hopes are high.

"The huge consumer and media interest - Kalettes were on many 'hot foods of 2015' lists - shows great promise," says Lisa Friedrich, Tozer's U.S. marketing director.

Developed using traditional cross-pollination methods, Kalettes feature a Brussels sprout stalk dotted with open, flower-like rosettes with kale-like, gray-green and purple foliage.

Truth be told, they're a little freaky looking, like edible corsages. Get past that, and you'll be rewarded.

Easier to cook with and to digest, the combination vegetable blends the best of both, but maintains the nutritional superstar components: lutein, beta-carotene, fiber, minerals and vitamins A, C and K. Whole or cut up, Kalettes - sold by other vendors as lollipop kale or the more generic-sounding kale sprouts - can be roasted, sauteed, stir-fried, grilled, or eaten raw. The sprouts' famously bitter taste has been toned down and the cooked flavor is, just as Tozer claims, "sweet and nutty."

But they've yet to make significant inroads at supermarkets and restaurants in the Philadelphia area. West Coast growers have had weather issues, deliveries have been sporadic, and, according to Friedrich, demand is more robust than supply, a situation expected to right itself this spring.

Rich Landau, chef and co-owner of Vedge in Center City, tried a Lancaster County farmer's kale sprouts last fall. He blanched them in salted water, seared them on a griddle, and dressed them with a miso-mustard vinaigrette topped with black sesame seeds.

"You need to let the flavor of the vegetable carry the dish," he says.

Although the sprouts' flavor was "sensational," Landau says, they bruise easily and are slightly perishable - and expensive. He also expressed reluctance to feature "too many funky, unheard-of vegetables" on his menu.

"We got them into a vegan restaurant, but it is Philadelphia. We have a little more conservative audience than Napa or San Francisco," he says, suggesting that he might try featuring just a few on the side of a bigger dish.

Lindsay McClain, chef de cuisine at Center City's Jamonera, offers a special side of kale sprouts - when she can get them. They are grilled, then finished with lemon juice and hazelnuts.

"Awesome," McClain says.

Bryce Henderson, sous chef at Stephen Starr's Pizzeria Stella in Society Hill, recently experimented with a warm kale sprout salad. He lightly sauteed them, tossed them with a pancetta vinaigrette, and added tomato confit, homemade garlic croutons and fresh Parmesan.

"It went over really well. I made it on Wednesday and we were sold out by Friday afternoon," says Henderson, who called the sprouts "a great new vegetable, a mix of the bitter and the sweet."

(Speaking of new vegetables, anyone remember the last one to rock the shopping cart? It's still around: Broccolini, introduced in 1993 by Sakata Seed Co. of Japan, is a hybrid of two types of broccoli whose thinner side shoots, rather than stalks, are harvested.)

Kale and Brussels sprouts belong to the cabbage family (Brassica oleracea), which is rich in essential vitamins and minerals. But creating a successful new vegetable, even with two nutrition-packed parents, is a long process with an uncertain outcome.

Tozer's Flower Sprouts/Kalettes adventure began in 1995 as a "blue sky project," meaning one involving a subject that just sounds interesting to someone.

Researcher Jamie Claxton starting "mashing up" brassicas, Friedrich says, and "the resulting vegetable, which had kale-like leaves and a Brussels-y stalk, was interesting enough that Tozer decided to put some research behind it."

In 2005, Johnny's Selected Seeds in Winslow, Maine, which sells to gardeners and small farmers, became one of a handful of American growers to test the seeds. Results were good, and Johnny's 2015 catalogue now offers seeds for Kalettes (25 for $6.95) and Flower Sprouts (40 for $10.95).

"I think they should do well, based on how good the eating quality is," says Stephen Bellavia, Johnny's vegetable researcher, who knows of what he speaks.

He likes his kale sprouts steamed, then sauteed with garlic, chopped almonds, salt and pepper.

"I ate them last night for dinner," Bellavia says, "and I'm having them today for my lunch."

Makes 2 to 4 servings

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3 ounces kale sprouts, cleaned with stems cut off

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons salt

1/2 lemon

Hazelnuts or almonds, for garnish

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1. Cut off the bottom of the stems of kale sprouts and run cold water over sprouts

2. Season sprouts with oil, garlic and salt.

3. Over medium-high heat, grill the sprouts until outer leaves are charred and stems are tender.

4. Remove from grill and squeeze half a lemon over sprouts.

5. Add hazelnuts or almonds, if desired.

- From Jamonera

Per Serving (based on 4, without garnish): 77 calories; 1 gram protein; 3 grams carbohydrates; no sugar; 7 grams fat; no cholesterol; 1,756 milligrams sodium; trace dietary fiber.

Makes 4 servingsEndTextStartText

5 ounces kale sprouts or Kalettes

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pepper

1 apple, cored and sliced

2 slices of bacon

1 onion, slicedEndTextStartText

1. Slice stem end from kale sprouts, allowing some leaves to fall loose and leaving center leaves intact. In salad bowl, add kale sprouts and drizzle with vinegar. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, add two slices of bacon. Cook until brown and slightly crunchy. Remove bacon from pan, leaving grease, and drain on paper towel. Add sliced onion to pan and sauté over medium high until caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. When bacon is cool, crumble into small pieces.

3. In a measuring cup, add extra virgin olive oil, orange zest, 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Shake or stir to combine dressing. Add the sliced apple, bacon and onions to bowl with kale sprouts. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

- from kalettes.com

Per Serving: 184 calories; 7 grams protein; 13 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams sugar; 12 grams fat; 16 milligrams cholesterol; 492 milligrams sodium; 2 grams dietary fiber.

Makes 2 servings

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4 large eggs

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 ounces kale sprouts (or Kalettes), cut in half lengthwise

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

1½ tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)

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1. In small bowl, add eggs and beat. Add water and mix to combine. Set aside.

2. In a medium skillet over medium heat add olive oil and onion. Sauté onion for 5 minutes. Add kale sprouts, cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and toss with onion and sliced kale sprouts. Cook all ingredients together for 2 minutes. Add eggs to skillet; cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Use a spatula and lift edge and tip pan to let egg run underneath to cook all the way through if top is not set after 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish with grated Parmesan, if desired.

- from kalettes.com

Per Serving: 311 calories; 15 grams protein; 11 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams sugar; 24 grams fat; 372 milligrams cholesterol; 164 milligrams sodium; 2 grams dietary fiber.

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