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They always show up on lists of healthy foods and most people know they should eat more of them, yet the typical American diet still lacks the dark, leafy greens that are so abundant in spring and early summer.
Several area farmers and gardeners who sell the nutrient-packed spinach, kales and chards — to name a few — say people avoid greens because they don’t know how to prepare them. Yet greens are one of the simplest vegetables to work with, fitting in nicely with salads, stir-fries and other dishes.
“Any green lends itself to just sautéing with olive oil and garlic,” says Ellen Scriven, who co-owns Killarney Farms and sells a large variety of greens at the Kootenai County Farmers Market.
Indeed, sauteing mixed greens in olive oil and a few other ingredients, such as garlic, shallot or ginger, is mentioned time and again by area farmers when asked how they prepare greens. Cookbooks also offer recipes for wilted greens with a variety of seasonings and/or dressings.
Of course, with summer here and Independence Day around the corner, eating outside at barbecues and picnics demands salads. Many farmers at area markets sell what they call spring or salad mixes, in which they’ve already combined a variety of lettuces and greens.
But don’t stop with salads. Rick Giles of North Idaho’s Raining Sun Vegetable Garden says he likes to chop a little kale, some mustard greens and a few mushrooms and then barely wilt them in a sauté pan before folding them into an omelet.
Large pliable leaves from spinach, chard and lettuces make excellent wrappers for a variety of fillings from rice to meats to vegetables. Think cabbage rolls, using other green leaves instead.
However you choose to use them, the trick to tasty greens, Giles says, is to avoid overcooking them.
Diane Green, who sells at the Farmers’ Market at Sandpoint, says she picked up tips on preparing greens from the “Victory Garden Cookbook,” by Marian Morash.
The basic rule, she says, is that most greens are interchangeable in recipes. Just be aware that some are stronger-flavored than others. And it’s best to blanch extra bitter greens before adding them to soups or stews because they can make the entire dish bitter, she says.
Tender greens, such as spinach, beet greens and Swiss chard, can be eaten raw or need only a quick cooking for tasty results. Combining milder greens with the more pungent or bitter varieties, such as mustard greens, endive and turnip greens, can create layers of flavor.
According to “Perfect Vegetables,” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, “Kale and mustard, turnip and collard greens are tougher and require the addition of some liquid as they cook.” The book recommends “shallow blanching” these greens, saying it’s the best method to preserve their color and flavor, and it gets them ready for use in sautés, stir-fries and other dishes. (The well-tested technique for blanching follows.)
Before cooking any greens, however, be sure to thoroughly clean them. Soaking and swirling the greens in several changes of cool water works well to remove dirt, sand and grit that get stuck in the leaves.
Here’s a brief overview of some of the many greens available at farmers’ markets and suggestions on how to prepare them.
Beet greens
Tender beet greens are actually the most nutritious part of the beet plant, according to “Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks,” by David Joachim. They can be used to add flavor to salads but often they are sauteed in a little olive oil and seasoned to taste.
Bok Choy
There are different varieties of bok choy, including the thick, white-stemmed version available at many supermarkets. Look for baby bok choy at farmers markets.
“It has beautiful green stems and leaves,” says Steve Smoot from the Spokane Farmers’ Market. “It is smaller than the white-stemmed variety found at the supermarket. It has a very mild flavor, especially when cooked.”
“We grow a good deal of bok choy and think that Americans could really benefit from knowing this Asian vegetable a little better.”
Because it can be harvested at different stages, baby bok choy lends itself to salads, stir-fries and soups, Smoot says. The young plants are good in salads. Whole heads of baby bok choy can be braised or gently stir-fried. Mature plants are good chopped up in soups.
Dandelion greens
Often found in spring salad mixes, dandelion greens provide a sharp contrast to mellow lettuces. They also can be prepared the same way as other tender greens, such as spinach.
Endive/Escarole
Endive comes in a variety of shapes and colors, such as Belgian endive that some say looks like a white cigar, and curly endive, which sports curly green leaves. Escarole, a member of the endive family, looks like a salad lettuce and has a somewhat nutty flavor.
Most endives are used in salads combined with other lettuces. Belgian endive also can be baked or even grilled (recipe follows).
Kale
There are several varieties of kale, ranging in color from deep green, to green-yellow and even purple. Scriven from Killarney Farm says customers are often curious about kale. “They’ve heard about it but they’re a little hesitant to try it,” she says. “If they’ve never tried it, I tend to steer them toward Russian kale. It’s pretty mild.”
Kale is rich in vitamins A and C and also is a good source of iron and calcium. To prepare kale, cut the leaves away from the stem and prepare it just about any way you’d prepare spinach. A popular way in the South is to saute kale with bacon drippings and onions.
Leaf lettuce
Green and red leaf lettuces are popular at many farmers markets, especially among people who are fans of iceberg lettuce and looking to ease into other greens. They grow in loose bunches from a single stalk and generally have more flavor than head lettuces. Leaf lettuce adds color and depth to any salad. It also works well as a substitute for cabbage leaves in wraps.
Mustard greens
“One (green) I wish people would try more of is mustard greens,” says Scriven of Killarney Farm.
They are generally considered the strongest of the bitter greens. Small, young leaves are best for salads, especially combined with mild greens and topped with a sweet dressing. Larger leaves are good for cooking.
Scriven says she enjoys mustard greens in a frittata. She sautes the greens in a little olive oil and then pours the beaten eggs over them and bakes it. “They are somewhat spicy,” she says.
Swiss chard
While many greens have stalks or ribs that are best removed and thrown away, Swiss chard is an exception. While the leaves can be used in salads, sauteed or even steamed lightly and wrapped around a grain salad or other filling, the stalks are often cooked and served like asparagus spears.
Janice Thorson of Glenrose Gardens loves the combination of sauteed Swiss chard and garlic. (Her recipe follows.)
Turnip greens
Like the other bitter greens (mustard and kale), turnip greens can be cooked by boiling, sauteing, steaming and stir-frying. They have a strong taste and coarse leaves and taste best when they are young.
(Information on the different greens was compiled from a variety of sources, including interviews with farmers and from “Perfect Vegetables,” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, “Dr. Richter’s Fresh Produce Guide,” “Brilliant Food Tips and Cooking Tricks,” by David Joachim and www.epicurious.com.)
Master Recipe for Blanched Assertive Greens
From “Perfect Vegetables,” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 pounds assertive greens such as kale, collards, mustard or turnip greens, stemmed, washed in several changes of cold water and coarsely chopped
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a Dutch oven or other deep pot. Add the salt and greens and stir until wilted. Cover and cook until the greens are just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain in a colander. Rinse the Dutch oven or pot with cold water to cool and then refill with cold water. Pour the greens into the cold water to stop the cooking process. Gather a handful of greens, lift out of the water, and squeeze dry. Repeat with the remaining greens. Roughly cut each bunch of greens. (At this point they are ready to use in other recipes, such as cooking them in a little bit of bacon drippings and serving with fried bacon and onions.)
Yield: About 2 cups of greens
Approximate nutrition per 1/2 cup: 113 calories, 1.5 grams fat (.2 grams saturated, 12 percent fat calories), 7.5 grams protein, 22.6 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 4.5 grams dietary fiber, 969 milligrams sodium.
Wilted Swiss Chard with Garlic
From Janice Thorson, Moran Prairie Farmers’ Market
This simple preparation also works well with other greens.
2 pounds Swiss chard, washed well, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped; leave wet
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh lemon juice (optional)
Heat large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and garlic; saute 15 seconds. Add the wet chard one handful at a time. Stir after each addition. After all chard has been added, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 minutes or until chard is wilted but still bright green (or red, pink or yellow depending on variety).
Remove the lid, raise heat to high and cook until all liquid has evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 135 calories, 10.5 grams fat (1.45 grams saturated, 64 percent fat calories), 4 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 3.6 grams dietary fiber, 628 milligrams sodium.
Bok Choy with Beef
From Steve and Se Lo Smoot, Spokane Farmers’ Market
For meat marinade:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 pound lean beef, cut into small pieces
Oil
1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
4 to 6 cups bok choy, washed, drained and cut into small pieces
3 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup broth or water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Stir together cornstarch, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger in a bowl. Add beef and stir. Marinate at least 15 minutes. In a large pan, heat a little oil to very hot. Stir-fry the meat until almost cooked.
Add the garlic, bok choy and green onions. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Then add broth, soy sauce and sugar. Heat to boiling and serve over cooked rice.
Yield: 2 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 329 calories, 17.8 grams fat, (2.7 grams saturated, 48 percent fat calories), 30 grams protein, 13.5 grams carbohydrate, 64.6 milligrams cholesterol, 3.7 grams dietary fiber, 1,206 milligrams sodium.
Simple Spinach and Strawberry Salad
From Susanne Miller, Spokane Farmers’ Market
1 bunch spinach
1 pint strawberries
1/2 cup walnuts, broken into large pieces (optional)
For dressing:
1 cup nonfat mayonnaise
1/2 cup pineapple juice
Grated rind of one orange (organic)
1 tablespoon honey (or several squeezes of a honey bear)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
Wash spinach and remove stems. If leaves are extra large, cut or tear into bite-size pieces. Wash and core strawberries. Slice into halves. Put spinach, strawberries and walnuts (if using) into a salad bowl.
To make the dressing, put all ingredients in a salad cruet (or an empty and clean salad dressing bottle) and shake until smooth. Drizzle over salad and toss until coated.
Note: Dressing keeps for about a week in the refrigerator
Yield: 2 main-course salads or 4 side salads
Approximate nutrition per serving (based on 4): 272 calories, 10 grams fat (.6 grams saturated, 39 percent fat calories), 5.8 grams protein, 29.3 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 3.5 grams dietary fiber, 505 milligrams sodium.
Greens with Huckleberry Vinaigrette
From “Gold’n Delicious,” by the Junior League of Spokane
Dressing:
1/2 cup huckleberry or raspberry vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Salad:
8 cups mixed salad greens, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
Place vinegar in a food processor or blender. Slowly add the oil while processing on high. Blend until mixture is slightly creamy. Add honey, salt and pepper and blend. Refrigerate.
Toss greens with desired amount of dressing just before serving.
Note: For a pretty presentation when fresh huckleberries are available, sprinkle a few over each salad before serving.
Yield: 8 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 138 calories, 13.8 grams fat (1 gram saturated, 85 percent fat calories), .7 grams protein, 4.8 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 77 milligrams sodium.
Mixed Greens with Toasted Walnuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano Curls
From “Fresh & Fast,” by Marie Simmons
1/2 cup broken walnut pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon aged red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Pinch salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 cups torn mixed salad greens (romaine, watercress, arugula, Boston lettuce, red leaf lettuce or radicchio)
Wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano
Place the walnuts in a small, heavy skillet and heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring, until they are warmed and toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add the salad greens and toss to coat. Distribute among 4 plates. Sprinkle the warm walnuts on top.
Using a vegetable peeler, cut large curls of cheese from the wedge directly on top of the salads, adding about 4 or 5 curls per salad. Serve at once.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 267 calories, 25 grams fat (4 grams saturated, 82 percent fat calories), 6.5 grams protein, 6.1 grams carbohydrate, 4.8 milligrams cholesterol, 2.6 grams dietary fiber, 123.9 milligrams sodium.
Leaf Rolls with Treasure
From “James McNair Cooks Southeast Asian”
1 head butter lettuce or other tender leaf variety, or 1 bunch tender young spinach, separated into individual leaves, then washed, dried, wrapped and chilled to crisp
Coconut spread:
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup minced or ground unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1/4 cup grated or minced fresh or unsweetened dried coconut
Toppings:
1/4 cup shredded fresh or unsweetened dried coconut, lightly toasted
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
1/4 cup dried tiny shrimp
1/4 cup minced fresh red or green hot chili
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup minced shallot
1 lime, halved, seeded, sliced about 1/8 -inch thick, and cut into tiny pieces
Prepare the lettuce or spinach leaves and refrigerate until serving time.
To make the coconut spread, in a small saucepan combine the fish sauce, sugar, peanuts and coconut. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, then cook, stirring frequently until the mixture is fairly thick and syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. (The spread will thicken further as it cools. If it becomes too thick, thin with a little warm water to a spreadable consistency.)
To serve, transfer the spread to a small dish. Place each of the toppings in a separate small dish. Place the lettuce or spinach on a serving dish or tray and arrange the small dishes of spread and toppings alongside.
To eat, each diner smears a little of the spread onto a lettuce or spinach leaf, sprinkles on toppings to taste and then folds the leaf around the topping.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.
Saute of Summer Greens
From The San Francisco Chronicle Cookbook Volume II
4 pounds baby kale, escarole or Swiss chard
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers (preferably salted), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup currants, soaked in warm water and drained
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
Zest of 3 lemons, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Wash the greens and remove stems, stalks and tough leaves. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the greens and simmer until tender. Drain and refresh in cold water. Drain again. Squeeze out the water and chop coarsely if serving greens as a side dish, or chop finely if serving greens on toast as an appetizer.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until lightly browned. Discard the garlic.
Add the greens and stir for 1 minute to evaporate excess moisture. Add the anchovies and capers and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool. Stir in the currants, pine nuts, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 473 calories, 26.4 grams fat (3.8 grams saturated, 45 percent fat calories), 21.9 grams protein, 50.5 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 11 grams dietary fiber, 640 milligrams sodium.
Lettuce with Venetian Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
From “How to Grill,” by Steven Raichlen
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and gently crushed with the side of a knife
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 tablespoons currants or raisins
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
For the lettuces:
2 small or 1 large head radicchio
2 medium Belgian endive, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the pine nuts and currants and cook, stirring, until the pine nuts are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, honey and chocolate and bring to a boil. Simmer the sauce until thick and syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes, whisking to mix in the chocolate. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. (The sauce can be prepared up to 6 hours ahead and reheated.)
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. If using a gas grill, place the wood chip in the smoke box or in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.
Cut the radicchio into wedges, about 1-inch thick at the outside edge. Run a slender bamboo skewer or toothpick crosswise through each wedge to hold the leaves together. You don’t need to skewer the endives.
When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss the wood chips on the coals. Arrange the radicchio and endives on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side, turning with tongs. After 1 minute, baste the lettuces with the oil as they cook.
Transfer the grilled lettuces to plates or a platter and serve with the sauce in a bowl on the side or drizzle it over them. For a richer flavor, although a less handsome appearance, turn the lettuces a few times to soak up the sauce. Serve hot or warm.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 387 calories, 26.5 grams fat (6.3 grams saturated, 58 percent fat calories), 3.3 grams protein, 39.2 grams carbohydrate, 7.7 milligrams cholesterol, 2.8 grams dietary fiber, 195 milligrams sodium.
Swiss Chard Strudel
From “The New Basics Cookbook,” by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukens
1 bunch Swiss chard
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded Jarlsberg cheese
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 sheets phyllo dough (about 16-by-12-inches each), thawed if frozen
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Rinse and drain the chard. Remove the stems, trim and discard the woody bottoms, chop the rest, and set aside. Coarsely chop the leaves.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over low heat. Add the onion and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard stems and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves and cook 3 minutes more. Drain off the excess liquid and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Stir in the Jarlsberg, 1 tablespoons of the crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
Stir the butter and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil together in a small bowl.
Open 1 sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Brush it with the butter and oil mixture. Spring with 1 teaspoon of the crumbs.
Top with 4 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter and oil and sprinkling each with crumbs. Top the remaining sheet and brush it with butter and oil.
Spoon the filling along one short end of the phyllo, leaving about 1 ½ inches empty on each side. Fold the long sides in, overlapping the filling by 1 1/2 inches, to enclose the ends of the filling.
Roll the phyllo and filling over onto itself to form a strudel roll. Place it on a baking sheet seam side down and brush the top with any remaining butter and oil. Bake until deep golden, 25 minutes. Let the strudel stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving:160 calories, 11.9 grams fat (4.4 grams saturated, 66 percent fat calories), 4.3 grams protein, 9.6 grams carbohydrate, 16.4 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 326 milligrams sodium.