[gourmet-spicy-veg] Heads-Up on Greens (useful information)

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Cin Cin <circular_hallway

[gourmet-spicy-veg] Heads-Up on Greens (useful information)

 

Wednesday, December 9, 2009, 5:23 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heads-Up on Greens

 

By MARY CONSTANTINEThe Knoxville News

 

Wading through the greens section in the produce department can be

mind-boggling. Ken Niess, produce manager of Earth Fare the Healthy Supermarket,

details the varieties readily available in our market, the flavor that each

offers and ways to prepare greens.

 

Arugula, or rocket salad

Tender, mustard-flavored, bitter. A favorite in Europe. Resembles radish leaves

in appearance and taste. Sold in small bunches, which should be fresh and bright

green.

 

Beet greens

Two vegetables in one! the beet and its greens. Seek crisp, green or

reddish-green leaves. Steam or saute. Leaves can be used raw in salads or

cooked.

 

Bok choy

Also called Chinese chard. Mild, tender, crisp member of cabbage family. Seek

clean, crisp, white stalks and beautiful green leaves. Juice or cook both stalks

and leaves. Braise, saute, steam or stir-fry.

 

Butter lettuce, or Boston or Bibb lettuce Delicate, sweet flavor with buttery

texture. Available in red or green. Choose fresh-looking lettuce of good color

and appearance. Mix with other lettuces and greens, such as watercress, or a

red-leafed lettuce for a gourmet salad.

 

Collards

Wide-leafed with cabbage-like flavor. Traditionally cooked slowly for several

hours to yield tender eating. Can be simmered in seasoned broth 20-30 minutes.

Seasoning ideas: garlic, onion, chili peppers, ginger or curry. Topping ideas:

cheese, curry or cream sauce.

 

Dandelion greens

Cultivated dandelion similar in texture and flavor to curly endive with a tangy

taste. Available in red or green. Select fresh greens with thin stems. Small

pale leaves can be used alone in salads; larger greens can be combined with

other salad greens or cooked.

 

Kale

Ruffly leaves are greenish-blue to green with mild cabbage flavor. Available in

red or green. As versatile as spinach and cabbage. Steam, blanch or saute. Add

very tender young leaves to salads. Develops stronger and morepronounced bitter

flavor when stored too long.

 

Mache

Also called corn salad or lamb's lettuce. Tender, velvety with either mild or

sweet, nutty flavor. Leaves can be either broad or narrow in shape, dark or

medium-green in color, round or spoon-shaped. Very perishable; use immediately.

 

Mustard greens

Oval-shaped leaves with frilled or scalloped edges. Sharp, nippy taste. Young,

tender leaves with sharp, nippy taste give radishy bite and attractive look to

salads. Benefits from slow cooking, which creates mellow flavor. Select small

leaves for salads, any size for cooking.

 

Rapini

Also called broccoli de rabe, rapa or rape. Medium-sharp flavor. Edible stems.

Small bud cluster. A favorite in Italian cooking.

 

Spinach

Select fresh-looking, green leaves, either crinkly or flat. To prepare raw or

cooked, wash leaves well; remove stems by folding each leaf lengthwise along the

stem with its underside facing you, and pull the stem down as close to the leaf

tip as possible. Can be quickly cooked in just the water that clings to its

leaves after rinsing. Cover and cook just a few minutes until wilted.

 

Swiss chard

Delicate-tasting vegetable with stalk-like stems and broad, crisp leaves.

Available in red or green. Ribs can be red or white. Cooked like celery or

asparagus. Select chard with firm ribs and fresh, crisp green leaves for use raw

in salads or cooked.