Chou (chow) Moullier (mool-ya) is a primitive type of kale originating from the Mediterranean area. Until recently, I'd never heard of it.
I'd have to admit, what first attracted me to attempt to grow this exotic-sounding green vegetable was the picture in the seed catalogue. It depicted a small child standing next to a huge cabbage-like plant. So I sent off for the inexpensive packet of seeds, popped a few (they're really tiny) into our slightly messy vegetable patch and then forgot all about them.
Things got busy and I barely noticed our "new" arrival growing steadily. That is until a dear friend arrived, and no sooner had she parked her suitcase than she was very happily harvesting many of the Chou Moullier's grey-green leaves. Afterwards we were served two similar-looking dishes of food; one was a plate of stuffed vine leaves, or dolmades (my friend had also discovered the grapevines in the front); the other dish was a plate of stuffed Chou Moullier leaves—delicious! Even the kids liked them.
Since then, I have felt a little ashamed of my initial rejection of the proud Chou Moullier plant—even my husband (who admitted he was about to pull "that thing" out a dozen times) has professed it is now his favorite vegetable.
We never have a shortage of greens for our table. An added bonus of Chou Moullier is that it's packed full of Vitamin A. And although it survived without much care, it's important to keep the soil drained and to plant it in an area with plenty of sunlight.
We mostly steam the leaves well and serve them dotted with butter and a little salt. The best way to describe the vegetable is that it tastes like a cross between Brussels sprouts and cabbage. The younger leaves are also delicious raw. Why not try your hand at planting this unusual treasure today? I guarantee it'll at least be a talking point at your next dinner party.
Seeds for Chou Moullier are available at http://www.edenseeds.com.au
Feeds