Kale instead of parsley in tabbouleah?

[lillypaddle]

Because of my personal circumstances, I have my groceries shopped and delivered.

Ordered 4 big bunches of curly parsley for a large batch of tabbouleah. Kroger didn't have parsley, so shopper brought me 4 "Kale lettuce bunches." Say what? I looked on google and apparently it is a thing to make this mideastern salad with kale. NOOOOO! Really?

It LOOKS like parsley. I tasted it, but really couldn't tell if it would work. Any of you have experience with this?

(Making this for my son's birthday brunch on Sunday.)

Thanks for any feedback.

[ret5hd]

1. i hope god doesn't condemn you as i do!

[lillypaddle]

6. LOL

He's condemned me for far worse. Anyway, what do I do?

[Ocelot II]

2. No kale anywhere, ever.

There is a colorful variety of kale that makes a very attractive and decorative garden plant. But FFS, don't ever try to eat the damn stuff; it's like chewing on a Brillo pad.

[lillypaddle]

7. Yeah, that's the impression I got when I tried a piece

but the folks on google love the stuff. Probably a bunch of those looney libruls.

[Easterncedar]

3. Should be okay

I would chop or grind it pretty fine, as kale can be tough, and maybe use less. (Never heard of kale lettuce - maybe that’s something else?) I always use more mint than parsley (always the flat parsley) in mine anyway. Good luck!

[leftieNanner]

4. I think it will work

Very different flavor though. Strip out the stems and either shred/chop it super fine or parboil it before you cut it up.

[hlthe2b]

5. Costco for awhile started making a "Tabbouleh" Salad" first with kale, rather than parsley and later on,

quinoa rather than bulgar wheat--at which case it was clearly not tabbouleh so, the absence of mint, lemon juice, olive oil, or other traditional ingredients I find mandatory was no longer at issue. Not sure if they still sell it, but...

Meh... Having worked and lived in various parts of the Middle East for quite a few years, I've eaten my share--some, far too bulgar wheat-heavy and others (as I like it) really brimming with parsley, mint, and finely diced tomato. But quinoa and kale? Umm, no.

[Beakybird]

8. Kale is okay to eat raw if it's very finely chopped.

I think parboiling it and chopping it would give it close to the same texture as parsley.
I'd make the grocery delivery guy try it first.

[Warpy]

9. Kale has a strong flavor which some might find objectionable

I can't imagine it working with the spearmint, but I can imagine it with the mint left out, plenty of lemon, some olive oil, garlic, and a little hot pepper, it might just work.

The only way I really like kale is stemmed, chopped, and dried in a low oven. Crumbled onto baked potatoes with a blob of sour cream, it's pretty good.

[Retrograde]

10. I use Italian flat parsley for tabbouleah

and it tastes- and looks - nothing like kale. They are from two different plant families.

I like kale, but for me it's a winter vegetable - some varieties may be good in a cold salad, but I wouldn't put a curly kale in a tabbouleah - I'd save that for a greens and beans dish, where the kale gets cooked long and slow.