Kale

They loped in like a pair of old lions, one a bit stooped, both proud to a fault. On the left, sipping from his bottled water, was Gov. Jerry Brown. On the right, fidgeting with note cards, was Michael Milken. The occasion was last week's State of the State Conference put on by the Milken Institute. The day was full of wisdom and, surprisingly, optimism, as some of California's best minds and sharpest business types appraised the state and found reason for both concern and hope. But the main event was the dialogue between Milken and Brown, icons of dichotomous California — the ascetic governor sharing a stage with the financial wizard whose name was once synonymous with greed.

  Grilled Russian kale with yogurt dressing and toasted hazelnuts Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 Note: Adapted from Travis Lett of Gjelina. Lett suggests Russian kale from Coleman Farm or Flora Bella Farm. Our recipes, your kitchen: If you try this or any other recipe from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen, we would like to know about it so we can showcase it on our food blog and occasionally in print. Upload pictures of the finished dish here.

  Dear SOS: I am addicted to the Tuscan kale salad at Little Dom's in Los Angeles. I love kale no matter how I prepare it, but it never tastes quite as delicious as the Dom's salad. I am hoping it's 100% guilt free, but maybe there's a sinful ingredient in there somewhere? Any chance you can look into this for me? Elise Barclay Atwater Village Dear Elise: Because of its rather tough texture, greens like kale are often cooked to tenderize them before serving.

Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Servings: 6 to 8 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound fresh mild Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled 1/3 cup dry white wine 2 bunches (about 1 pound) kale, stemmed and torn into large pieces 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/3 cup flour 2 cups milk 8 ounces fresh goat cheese 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 3 tablespoons melted butter 1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (such as a combination of parsley, oregano and basil)

  Kale Caesar Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 to 6 Note: Adapted from "Tartine Bread" by Chad Robertson. Caesar dressing 2 lemons 3 cloves garlic 6 olive oil-packed anchovy fillets 1 egg yolk Salt 2 cups olive oil To make the dressing, grate the zest from 1 lemon. Cut both lemons in half. Place the garlic, anchovies and lemon zest in a mortar and pound with a pestle to make a thick paste.

  Caldo verde Total time: About 50 minutes Servings: 6 to 8 Note: Adapted from "The New England Cookbook" by Brooke Dojny. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 pound sausage, preferably Spanish chorizo, linguiça or kielbasa, thinly sliced 1 large onion, chopped 4 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 1 pound kale, thick stems removed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch strips 2 cups water, more as needed Salt and pepper Best quality olive oil, for garnish (preferably Spanish)

Kale salad with cranberries and walnuts Total time: About 30 minutes Servings: Serves 4 to 6 Note: Adapted from "Love Soup" by Anna Thomas. Dinosaur kale is also known as black, Tuscan or lacinato kale. 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 pound (1 large bunch) dinosaur kale or any young kale 3 ounces (about 4 cups) arugula or baby mizuna 1/3 cup Kalamata or other cured olives 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, or pine nuts 1 small sweet red bell pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon walnut oil 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/4 pound blue cheese, feta cheese or sharp cheddar cheese, crumbled, to garnish (optional)

Total time: 2 hours Servings: 8 to 10 Note: Lacinato kale, also called cavalo nero or black kale, is available from Whole Foods and some farmers markets; cranberry beans (also called borlotti beans) are widely available. 1/4 cup olive oil plus 2 1/2 tablespoons, divided 2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and sliced, about 2 cups 2 medium carrots, finely chopped, about 1 cup 1 onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup 3 cups dried cranberry beans Kosher salt 2 bunches lacinato kale, cleaned, stemmed and coarsely chopped, about 10 cups 3 cups dried orecchiette pasta (about 9 ounces)