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Summer is here and with it comes an amazing array of succulent, nutrient-rich
greens. When I was growing up, the closest my family came to eating
greens was the anemic but common iceburg lettuce drowned in a
heavy salad dressing. This was not exactly giving greens a fair
shake. My family was not alone, however: my husband said that
there first time he tried fresh spinach he was in college. He
was shocked by the contrast of the crisp, fresh leaves in his
mouth from the contemptable, slimy stuff he was usually served
from a can. John could hardly believe that what he once had to
force down his throat was also this delicious salad in front of
him. He had to reconcile that the two were actually the same plant.
Greens have always been a big part of African cooking, and slaves
brought this culinary tradition to the South. Today, cooking with
greens remains a big part of Southern and African-American cooking.
With the increased availability of leafy greens and with their
nutritional benefits being widely touted, even once-unfamiliar
varieties like Belgian endive are being adopted into the mainstream
American diet.
Nutritionally speaking, cooking greens are powerhouses, especially
the darker varieties. Vitamins C and E, as well as beta carotene,
are found here in abundance, and these are all antioxidants, which
can help prevent cancer. Remember that these benefits will be
diminished the longer the greens are cooked, so it's best to cook
them only until they are just tender. Often, I'll throw some into
a pot that’s already bubbling, like a stew or soup, and let them
cook together, with the greens absorbing the flavor of the dish.
This method works particularly well with a tougher variety like
kale, but keep in mind that even hearty greens usually only need
to be cooked for a short period of time. Greens that are more
tender, like spinach and arugula, can be served raw, as in a salad,
pan steamed with just the water that clings to them after cleaning
or very briefly and lightly sautéed with a bit of oil and other
seasonings.
To clean them, a good method is to add the greens to a clean sink
filled with cool water, and swish them around gently; then rinse
the leaves off until the water runs clear, and drain them in a
colander or a salad spinner type of gadget. Also, when storing
your greens, be mindful of a little known fact: fruits like bananas
and apples emit ethylene gas, which can cause brown spots and
quick deteriorization of your happy greens, so don't store them
in close proximity of each other.
Some Impressive Leafy Cooking Greens:
Arugula: This robust green has a pleasantly distinctive peppery/horseradish-like
pungency. If using in a salad, it is best when not used as the
base: often its flavor is complemented by structuring the salad
around a milder, sweeter green, like romaine lettuce or spinach.
Cooking arugula is really a matter or five seconds with some olive
oil in a pan; any more than this an some of the peppery flavor
will dissipate. Cooked arugula is especially delicious when added
to fresh pasta.
Beet Greens: It's a shame that these big leaves often get tossed away when
preparing beets, because they're especially nutrient-rich. Cut
off the stems and steam. A delicate but tasty addition to a straight-forward
steaming would be to add some flavorings to the water, like lemon
juice, vegetable broth mix, or dried herbs. This will imbue the
greens with their subtle flavor and aroma.
Belgian Endive: Slightly bitter, Belgian endive can be either eaten raw, such
as in a salad, or cooked. Usually it is left whole and gently
sautéed in olive oil or, if you don't mind alcohol, with a splash
or two of white wine added to the oil. Like arugula, the longer
it is cooked, the more it will lose its bitterness.
Bok Choy and Napa Cabbage: These Asian greens are delicious in a stir-fry, added toward
the end when everything is good and hot. These really only should
be cooked for a minute or two, or else they will lose their wonderful
crispness.
Broccoli Rabe (or Rapini): Delicious when gently steamed, to cut back some of its inherent
bitterness, and then briefly sautéed in olive oil and lots of
garlic. When cut into small pieces, this can be a wonderful addition
to a vegetable risotto.
Collard Greens: A staple of African-American cooking, these greens are very high
in calcium and all that good stuff. Unless it is very young and
tender, in which case it can be finely chopped, it usually needs
a longer cooking time than most greens because the leaves are
quite tough. Traditionally, many southerners cook collards for
hours, but when thrown into a stew, they really only need about
15 minutes of cooking time. For a very simple dish, these greens
are great cooked alone and tossed with olive oil, sautéed garlic
and balsamic vinegar.
Dandelion Greens: What a delicious weed! Dandelion greens are wonderful tasting
when quickly sautéed with garlic and olive oil. A dash of tamari
is also a nice addition. They are especially packed with calcium
and beta carotene.
Escarole: Escarole is a kind of chicory, and it has a slightly bitter,
almost nutty flavor. It is delicious in a stew or vegetable soup.
If you take a preliminary step of sautéing it before adding it
to a stew, the flavor will be enhanced.
Kale: My husband has never liked kale, but we are members of a community
supported organic farm, and we get loads of it every summer. We've
had to learn ways to make it more palatable for him, or else it'll
go bad in the ol' crisper. That's a waste, too, because kale is
loaded with high levels of antioxidants. Instead of using kale
as the main part of a dish, I usually use smaller amounts of it,
often added to soups or stir-fries. To cook, remove the stems
first, then chop. By the way, an excellent way to chop these heavier,
bigger greens is to roll the leaves up like a cigar and cut them
into 1/2 inch or smaller strips.
Mustard Greens: Mustard greens are really savory when cooked with Asian ingredients,
like toasted sesame oil, ginger, tamari and vinegar. Sliced thin
and stir-fried with these kinds Asian flavors, this is a great,
simple meal when served over brown rice.
Spinach: The original Superhero of the whole leafy green family, spinach
is great raw and crunchy, as in a salad or as part of a sandwich,
and it's also delicious when sautéed or steamed ever so slightly,
to the point where it's just barely wilted. Spinach surrenders
very quickly: do not punish it by overcooking! I like spinach
best when it's uncomplicated: just a bunch of leaves, with garlic,
olive oil, and a bracing splash of lemon. Some people, such as
those with ulcers or kidney stones, can't eat spinach because
of its high acidity. I'm sorry for them.
Swiss Chard: Swiss chard comes in two varieties, red or white. Both kinds
are good sources of vitamins A and C, as well as iron. A way that
I like to cook it is to cut it into strips (you can decide to
remove the stems or not) and gently braise it with some olive
oil, garlic and balsamic vinegar.
Watercress: Such a delicate, sweet name for this green that packs a peppery
little punch. Watercress is wonderfully invigorating in salads,
especially with a milder salad green like red-leaf lettuce. Add
some chopped scallions, cucumbers and a sunny vinegrette, and
you've got yourself a great little salad.
Lemon-Scented Spinach with Pine Nuts
Elegant and simple, this spinach dish is a nice vegetable appetizer.
You can substitute beet or mustard greens for the spinach.
1 large bunch spinach, cleaned
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 - 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon tamari
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts*
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the
garlic, lemon juice and tamari and sauté for one minute. Turn
the heat to high and add the spinach, salt and apper. Toss the
spinach with tongs until wilted, making sure to integrate the
ingredients. Finally, add the pine nuts and serve immediately.
* To toast pine nuts, one can either use the stove top or oven.
If using the stove top, place the nuts in a dry skillet and cook
them over a very low heat, stirring the pan frequently. The pine
nuts are done when they're golden and aromatic. If cooking in
the oven, place them on a dry baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees,
checking after 5 minutes or so. They're done when they have a
distinctively nutty scent.
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Green is Good!