Boerenkool, again

Eastside Road, Healdsburg, July 23, 20097/23/09 851PM

I KNOW: WE ATE THIS just a few weeks ago; I wrote about it here. But tonight's was made differently, two changes that seem trivial but make all the difference, and I think the dish has to be promoted to the Hundred Plates. Here's what I did:
First, a few very thing slices of pancetta in the black iron skillet, sweated to render the fat and crisp the meat entirely. Then slice, do not cube, a sweet white onion into the pan and sweat it until limp, not neglecting to scrumble in a good pinch of sea salt, adding olive oil to keep things from burning. Then ditto the potatoes

and, soon after, the stems of the kale, cut into tiny pieces.
Cook these a long time, turning occasionally, and add some water after some of the potatoes have browned; and cover the pan to steam those kale stems; they'll need it.

When the stems are fairly tender add the kale leaves which you will have sliced crosswise into strips. More salt, of course. A bit more water if needed, and cover, and leave to wilt and cook. Toward the end you can stir things up.

Cheap Pinot grigio