How Do We Eat Greens? Let us count the ways....

by Sara Ruch

Salad isn't the only thing you can do with greens, though some nutrients do get lost when cooked. To help retain nutrients, try to cook for as brief a period as possible. Here are some basic cooking instructions:

Braising

 When braised in broth, bitter greens such as escarole, radicchio, and chicory--and even mild ones such as calaloo--make refreshingly different side dishes. Blanch trimmed, washed greens in boiling water for about two minutes, then run under cold water. Place the greens in a heavy skillet and add just enough broth to almost cover them. If you like, add lemon juice, onion, garlic, or herbs for flavor. Cover the pan tightly and simmer until tender. When the greens are done, remove them to the serving platter and reduce the cooking liquid to a sauce.

Grilling

Brush heads of radicchio or pac choi, halved lengthwise, with a little oil and grill until they are softened and begin to brown.

Sautéing

Wash greens, cut or tear into bite size pieces. Sauté in broth (with some chopped garlic, if desired) until wilted. Mizuna, Swiss chard, chicory, arugula, and watercress work well. Season with herbs or sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Steaming

 Place freshly washed leaves in a tightly covered skillet and cook over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until leaves are just tender. Or throw greens in a vegetable steamer and cook over boiling water. Season with lemon juice and herbs.

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Storing Greens; Tips to keep your greens fresh all week

When we pick our greens, we make sure they are dry. They will keep in the plastic bag for 7-10 days. The following suggestions for washing and storing greens came from author Amanda Hesser, from her book "the Cook and the Gardener":

Fill up a clean sink or large bowl with cold water. Then plunge the greens in the water, push up your sleeves, and dig in, swishing then around vigorously , as you would when hand washing a sweater. Lift the greens from the water and empty the sink. Refill with cold water and repeat. To dry, either use a salad spinner, or drip dry the greens on a dish drainer, in a colander, or lay them out on dish towels.

To store greens, spread portions of 4 out on dish towels and roll them up. Delicate greens are cradled in the towel, protected from rotting moisture and the direct cold of the fridge. Greens kept this way will generally last 3-5 days. They also take up less room because you can fit a scroll of greens between bowls and bottles.

If you have plastic refrigerator containers, you can use them for your greens instead. Lay a dish towel at the base of the container, spread over some greens, then fold over the excess towel. Spread over some more greens and repeat, layering greens and dish towel until you reach the top of the container. the towel absorbs any humidity and works as a good divider between different varieties of greens. Greens will last even longer this way--up to a week.

For fresh herbs, the best method is to simply snip a tiny bit off the ends and place in a jar of fresh cool water. Replace the water daily. You can put the jar directly in your fridge, though if you leave them out on your counter you are more likely to remember to use them. They also look quite charming.