Kale

Buy kale with firm, springy, deeply colored leaves and skip anything with yellow patches or limp edges (that's where the bitterness lives). Lacinato (Tuscan) is sweeter and more tender than curly and it's the one to grab for sautéing; curly holds up better for chips and soups. Store it unwashed in a perforated bag in the crisper and use within 5–7 days. Strip the leaves off the stems before cooking: the stems are fibrous and never fully soften, so save them for stock or the compost bin. I'll pick lacinato over curly 9 times out of 10.

Most people who hate kale have only had it raw and unseasoned, which is like judging potatoes by eating one cold. Cooked right, kale gets sweet and silky: sauté it 5–7 minutes with garlic, braise it low and slow, or roast it into chips at 300°F. The one rule that matters is pulling it while it's still bright green. Once it goes dark and drab, the flavor turns bitter, and no amount of lemon or brightness saves it. Below you'll find times and temps for every method.