Going Green

If you’ve walked right past the red chard and blue-green Lacinato kale in the produce aisle in fear of bitter-tasting lettuce look-alikes, take a second look.

With flavors ranging from sharp and spicy to mild and mellow, winter greens are a great, healthy way to bring flavor to soups, winter salads and pasta dishes.

Rich in vitamins A, C and K and high in fiber, greens are perfect for boosting winter-weary immune systems, and may help prevent certain types of cancer.

Charlie Connor, executive chef at Wild Sage American Bistro, is a big fan of the flavors winter greens can bring to a dish.

“Arugula is kind of spicy and peppery, spinach is mild and milky and kale has a hint of bitter,” he says. “I like to combine greens to get a really complex flavor.”

When selecting greens, look for small tender leaves, suggests Connor.

“We harvest our kale, mustard greens and chard younger, when the leaves are tender and not bitter,” explains Cheryl Fry, who owns C&S Hydro-Huts with her husband Stewart.

The Frys’ hydroponic farm in Otis Orchards grows winter greens and herbs that are distributed to local grocery stores and restaurants.

Kale

Stacy Blowers, who owns Petunia’s Marketplace in North Spokane, likes to pair kale with cooked wheat berries or faro for a hearty winter dish. Just add the greens near the end of the cooking time.

“I also like to cook kale a little until it is just barely wilted and add it to hot grits,” says Blowers, who carries local winter greens in her market.

“Kale keeps its form better than spinach,” she says. “I like to toss arugula, kale and spinach into our handmade pasta. In 15 minutes you have a complete dinner.”

Mustard greens

Small, tender mustard leaves can be eaten raw in salads or on sandwiches.

“It has a mustard, horseradish flavor,” says Fry, who likes to use a few small leaves on ham sandwiches instead of mustard.

“We sear them in sesame oil so they are wilted and still a little crunchy,” says Patrick Fechser, executive chef at Hay J’s Bistro in Liberty Lake. “The greens have kind of a wasabi flavor that goes perfectly with tuna.”

Fechser also uses mustard greens raw in Asian-inspired salads.

Arugula

“You either like it or you don’t,” says Fry. “It has quite a spice to it.”

She likes to add arugula to salads and stir-fry dishes. It also makes a flavorful pizza topping or addition to pasta; just add the arugula during the last few minutes of cooking so it wilts.

Blowers often uses arugula in pesto to add an element of spiciness, and also likes to layer it on turkey or lamb burgers in place of lettuce.

Chard

Commonly called Swiss chard, this colorful-stemmed leafy vegetable is a member of the beet family.

“It’s more like spinach – more tender than some of the other greens,” says Fry. “Just wilt it down and it’s ready to go.”

Like kale, chard can be eaten raw, or cut into thin strips and tossed with intensely flavored foods like strong cheeses, nuts, dried fruit or briny olives. Chard can also be used as a wrapper to steam fish, or filled with fresh mozzarella and grilled.

Hay J’s Fechser likes the combination of salty bacon and tangy chard.

“I like to chop some bacon, render it until it’s crispy and throw in some chard,” he says. “I cook it for a few minutes until it’s still a little crunchy. It’s so good.”

Spinach

The mildest of the winter greens, spinach can be added to just about anything.

Add a big handful of baby spinach to a fruit smoothie or incorporate steamed spinach into scrambled eggs, quiche, meatloaf or burgers. It’s delicious when quickly sautéed with a few drops of soy sauce and sesame oil.

For a change in your favorite salad, use a mix of young, tender greens, suggests Wild Sage’s Connor.

“Try spinach, young, tender kale, arugula, mizuna and frisée,” he says. “The mixes are great because you can get peppery, spicy and bitter flavors in one salad from just the greens.”

Connor balances out the flavors with a sweet acidic dressing and adds some salty goat cheese, apples and nuts.

“I’m in heaven,” he says.

Wild Sage Winter Greens with Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Executive Chef Charlie Connor, Wild Sage American Bistro, who serves this salad with hazelnut crostini, Green Bluff apple chips and Gouda goat cheese.

For the warm pancetta vinaigrette:

4 ounces pancetta, cut in small pieces

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 teaspoons chopped shallots

2 teaspoons chopped mixed fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley or sage

8 ounces apple juice

4 ounces apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder

2 ounces maple syrup

1 teaspoon cornstarch 

1 teaspoon cold water

Fresh ground pepper to taste

For the winter greens:

8 to 10 cups of mixed greens including tender, young kale leaves, spinach, arugula and frisée (see note)

For garnish:

Goat cheese or blue cheese, fresh or dried apples and hazelnuts

Render the pancetta on very low heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a little canola oil. Stir the bottom of the pan frequently to remove browned bits. 

Once the fat has cooked away and the pancetta is completely browned and crisp, add garlic, shallots and fresh chopped herbs. Cook on medium-low heat until aromatic and lightly caramelized.

Add apple juice, vinegar, mustard powder and maple syrup. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl combine cold water with cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Whisk into hot saucepan containing vinaigrette and bring back to a boil. Season with a little cracked pepper to taste; adjust flavor with more apple cider vinegar and apple juice if desired. Keep warm.

Recipe yields about 2 cups.

To make the salad:

Wash and air-dry greens. Tear into small pieces if desired. The salad can be served family-style in one large bowl, or served individually.

Immediately before serving, toss greens with enough hot dressing to coat the salad. Garnish as desired with goat cheese or blue cheese, fresh apple slices or dried apple chips and toasted hazelnuts.

Yield: 4 to 5 (2-cup) servings.

Note: Frisée can be bitter so taste first and use sparingly or omit from recipe.

Whole Wheat Pasta with Fresh Greens and Herbs

Courtesy of Cheryl Fry, C&S Hydro-Huts, who says, “I love this dish as it can be served hot or cold and has amazing flavor with the mix of fresh greens.”

1 ½ tablespoons good-quality balsamic vinegar

1 small red onion, chopped

2 cups Lacinato kale (also called black or Tuscan kale)

1 ½ cups arugula

1 cup fresh basil leaves

4 small tomatoes cut into large dice

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup olive oil

1 (12-ounce) box whole-wheat pasta of choice

Optional for garnish: Fontina cheese and pine nuts

Salt and fresh black pepper

Place vinegar and red onions in a small bowl. Stir well and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Remove the tough stalks from the kale and arugula. Cut arugula, kale and basil into ribbons.

Place diced tomatoes, basil, arugula, kale, garlic and onion-vinegar mixture in a shallow casserole dish. Add about half of the olive oil and about a teaspoon of salt. Gently mix as you would a salad, to combine the ingredients and coat all the vegetables with the dressing.

Cook pasta according to directions on package until al dente. While the pasta is cooking continue to gently fold the vegetable mixture.

Drain the pasta (don’t rinse) and quickly add it to the casserole dish. Fold the pasta in, gently bringing the vegetables up from the bottom to the top, until well combined.

Garnish with grated Fontina cheese and pine nuts if desired. Season to taste with salt and a generous amount of black pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Sesame Seared Mustard Greens with Baby Bok Choy and Vegetables

Courtesy of Executive Chef Patrick Fechser, Hay J’s Bistro.

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon fresh chopped garlic

2 tablespoons fresh chopped ginger

1 tablespoon sesame oil, divided

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 tablespoon honey

Vegetables:

½ cup roughly chopped mustard greens

½ cup roughly chopped baby bok choy

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, whole leaves (remove stems)

1 medium carrot cut in matchstick-sized pieces

1 medium red bell pepper, julienne cut

2 tablespoons green onions, julienne cut

To make the sauce, cook garlic and ginger in 1 ½ teaspoons of the sesame oil on medium-low heat. In a separate bowl, mix the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sesame seeds and honey.

When the garlic and ginger are fragrant, add the soy mixture, stir and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil and boil for about 2 minutes.

Heat the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of sesame oil in a separate sauce pan on medium-high. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the vegetables. Sauté for about 2 minutes, add a quarter of the sauce and bring to a boil for 30 seconds. (Store the remaining sauce in the refrigerator for another use for up to four weeks).

Serve over Calrose rice and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro. Add chicken, Ahi tuna or shrimp if desired.

Yield: 2 servings

Sautéed Kale with Bacon and Marmalade

Courtesy of Stacy Blowers, Petunia’s Marketplace.

1/4 pound thick-cut bacon

2 bunches kale

2 tablespoons Honey-Vanilla Marmalade (available at Petunia’s Marketplace) or substitute marmalade of choice

Pinch of salt and pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Fry bacon and drain off fat from pan.  Remove stems from kale and roughly chop.

Add kale to pan with marmalade, salt and pepper. Sauté until kale is tender.

Remove from heat and toss in extra-virgin olive oil. Serve warm. 

Yield: 4 to 6 side dish servings

Kale Chips

From “Real Simple” magazine (www.realsimple.com).

2 bunches kale

Olive oil, to taste

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Tear the kale leaves into pieces and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees until crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Yield: Varies