Winter greens - includes recipes, how to clean greens, and a greens glossary

Vegetarian Times, Nov, 1996 by Jill Nussinow

When winter doldrums hit the salad bowl, when lettuce sports sky-high prices, when romaine turns anemic, don't despair: The produce department boasts a wealth of dark leafy greens to perk up your plate, your nutrient intake and your taste buds. To take advantage of the season's best, however, you must be willing to try something new. While even gourmets sometimes won't venture further than escarole or arugula when considering greens, there's plenty to choose from: Swiss chard, kale and collards thrive in winter, as do beet, turnip and mustard greens. Frost lends a sweetness to kale, unavailable in warmer climes. And even if some of the more exotic greens, such as tat sad, red mustard or mizuma, may not be common in your region, at least a few are available.

Whatever your choice, you can rest assured it's a healthful one. All types of greens leave other veggies behind in the nutrition competition. Greens are extremely low in calories (a one cup serving packs a mere 25 calories), but they provide substantial amounts of vitamins A and C, essential immune system boosters and smaller quantities of calcium, iron, potassium, folic acid and fiber. They may even be protective against certain types of cancer.

The uninitiated may be reluctant to try these unfamiliar leaves, perhaps they've heard that greens are bitter (some are), or must be cooked for hours before they're truly edible. Young, tender greens are rarely bitter, although some are spicy. Dinosaur kale, red Russian kale, red mustard, sorrel or mizuma may all be eaten raw or cooked, depending upon taste preference and the age of the plant. Older or heartier greens may benefit from a two- to three-minute dunk in boiling water before being quick-cooked in a recipe.

Be careful not to overcook your greens. Those who have eaten greens boiled until lifeless might be reluctant to try again. Quick-cooking techniques on the other hand, preserve the texture, color and flavor of greens and will convert "greens haters." For those craving that long-cooked-with-a-ham-hock Southern taste, meat alternatives like veggie "bacon" or "ham" make excellent culinary companions.

Spinach, a winter mainstay, creates a dramatic backdrop in the salad bowl for all manner of toppings, as in the recipe for Orange and Onion Salad on Greens. Other young greens, picked when less than 3 inches long, also work well in salads, but more mature leaves generally need to be cooked--just until done so their sometimes bitter undertones do not overpower other ingredients.

Tossing greens into soups, stews or pasta sauces for five to 10 minutes toward the end of cooking provides taste and color unequaled by other vegetables. For a cabbage flavor, use kale; beets, use beet greens or Swiss chard; for a lemon flavor, sorrel's a hit; for a spicy bite, try mustard or arugula. The possibilities for using greens are endless. So, go for the greens!

Sweet Potato and Greens Soup

The color contrast between the orange sweet potatoes and the bright greens makes this a visually appealing soup. Children often find this a tasty soup because of its sweetness.

1 Tbs. olive oil 2 onions, diced 4 garlic cloves. minced 1 celery stalk, sliced thin 8 cups vegetable stock or water 2 cups chopped canned tomatoes

with juices 1 parsnip, peeled, sliced lengthwise

and cut into slices 1/2 cup celery root, pealed and diced 2 medium-large sweet potatoes,

yellow or white Japanese (not garnet

yams), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 carrot. cut into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed (see glossary. p. 126) 1 tsp. salt Dash cayenne,pepper Freshly ground black pepper to taste 5 cups lightly packed fresh

spinach, kale or Swiss chard,

torn into pieces 2 Tbs. minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and celery; saute, stirring often, for 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients, except greens and cilantro.

Bring soup to boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes.

Stir in greens and cilantro if using. Cook soup until greens are tender and wilted, about 5 minutes. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

PER 1-CUP SERVING 256 CAL.; 7G PROT.; 5G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 48G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 1,136MG SOD.; 7G FIBER. VEGAN

Asian Greens with Sesame Dressing

This dressing also tastes great on any other greens, raw or cooked. Mizuma, a feathery, crisp preen, hails from Japan.

6-oz. bag Asian greens mix or 6

cups washed mixed greens

which include mizuma, tat soi,

red mustard or other dark and

spicy greens 1/4 cup orange juice 1 Tbs. tamari 1 Tbs. rice vinegar 1 Tbs. honey 2 tsp. sesame oil 2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Place washed greens in large bowl or on individual plates.

Combine all liquid ingredients; whisk to blend. Pour dressing over salad just before serving; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Makes 4 servings.

PER 1 1/2-CUP SERVING: 80 CAL.: 2G PROT.: 5G Total FAT (1G SAT. FAT); 9G CARB.: 0 CHOL.: 257MG SOD.; 2G FIBER. VEGAN (HONEY)

Orange and Onion Salad on Greens