Sluttishly Savoury: Kale Chips

Whenever anyone told me how delicious kale chips are, how they really honestly taste like proper crisps, here's what I picture: Gwyneth Paltrow, weeping her macrobiotic tears, cramming tepid leaves into her face while visualising a bag of hot salty chips. I was not very taken with the idea.

AND YET. Kale chips get mentioned too often to ignore, plus I was willing to admit I was wrong when it came to cauliflower poppers. There's something about vegetables + spices + oven-baking that renders them delicious. Kale's off-putting bitterness vanishes, and the leaves become light and crispy. The slight greasiness of the olive oil, combined with salt and the all-new crunchy texture of the leaves, become something your brain translates as crisps. Magic.

I've added smoked paprika to mine, but you could try garlic salt, parmesan, cumin and chilli powder, or vinegar to create a salt and vinegar flavour.

Kale chips

before the magic happens

You will need:

• A large bunch of kale, washed and left to dry
• 1/2 tsp ground sea salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (or your choice of flavouring)

Make it!

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
2. Remove the kale leaves from their stalks and tear into small pieces. Transfer to a large bowl, drizzle on the olive oil and sprinkle on the salt and smoked paprika. Mix well with your hands.
3. Spread the kale leaves out in a single layer on a baking tray.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes, til the leaves are crispy but still dark green (if they go brown, they'll be bitter). 

They'll keep in an airtight container for two days, but they're best while still warm.