Great Greens

Recipe: Kale & Hakurei Turnip Stir Fry

from The Recipe Depository

1/2 cup lardons or bacon cut into batons
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup hakurei turnips, cubed
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 cups kale leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp water
Salt and pepper

 

Cook and brown the bacon in a wok until almost crisp.  Remove and set aside.  Take out all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, then add the tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the turnips to the wok, stir frying until lightly browned.  Remove and set aside.  Add the kale leaves and stir fry until wilted.

Put the bacon and turnips back into the wok, add the bay leaf, vinegar, water, salt and pepper.  Steam for about 5 minutes until the kale is crisp tender.

Recipe: Slow Braised Greens Over Pepper Jack Grits


Adapted From Darius Cooks

1 bunches of your favorite cooking greens, be sure to clean them and cut them into small pieces. 
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon of non-salted Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon of smoked paprika
4 cups of vegetable stock

Put a large stock pot on medium heat and saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until the onions start to turn translucent. Add all the greens to the pot and let them cook down. If they all don’t fit in the pot, don’t worry. Stir them every few minutes and they’ll begin to wilt. Then, keep adding until all the greens are in the pot. Add the lid and let the greens cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then, lower the heat to just above a simmer, add the salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and smoked paprika. Then add about 4 cups of vegetable stock. Reserve the rest and add more if you find the liquid is getting too low. You definitely don’t want the greens to scorch or burn.

Cook the greens for 1 hour on low heat. Enjoy the aroma they make and eat them while they’re hot.

Pepper Jack Grits 
2 cups of quick cooking grits
4 cups of vegetable stock
4 tablespoons of butter
1 cup of light cream
1 cup of shredded light pepper jack cheese
salt and pepper, to taste

In a pot, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Lower the heat and whisk in the grits. For this recipe, never stop stirring. If you do, the grits could stick to the bottom of the pot and burn. Cook the grits on low heat for about 10-12 minutes. The grits should be super thick. Stir in the light cream, butter spread, and light cheese. Taste, and if necessary, add salt and pepper.

Serve the braised greens over your grits and try adding a poached or fried egg to make an even heartier meal! 

Recipe: Fingerling Potato & Kale Hash

Adapted From The Baker Chick

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 bunch kale, chopped
4-6 eggs

Preheat oven to 400F. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet on medium-high.
When the pan is hot add the potatoes. Add salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 4-6 minutes or until crispy. Add the peppers and garlic, and cook until soft.

Add the kale and stir until slightly wilted. Add more salt & pepper.
Use a spoon to make some wells in the hash and add the eggs with more salt & pepper. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until eggs are at your desired consistency. (7 minutes was perfect for me.)

Recipe: Stuffed Delicata Squash

Adapted From Aggie's Kitchen

2 Delicata squash, cut lengthwise
2 teaspoon olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, chopped finely (or substitute your shallot!)
1 15 oz can cannellini or white beans, rinsed and drained
3 handfuls fresh kale, roughly chopped
1/4 cup panko or bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
red pepper flakes, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scoop seeds out of each half of squash. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Squash will be soft to the touch.

While squash is baking, make stuffing for squash:
Heat 1 teaspoons of olive oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped onion to pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add kale to pan and cook until wilted. Add rinsed beans to pan and stir, cook until warmed through.
Spoon stuffing into each squash half.

In a small bowl, combine panko and Parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over each squash. Place into oven for about 15 minutes until heated through and breadcrumbs and cheese are golden brown.
Serve immediately with red pepper flakes and extra Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Recipe: Clean Out The Fridge Strata


From The Seattle Times
This is a great way to use up stale bread, whatever melting cheese you have in the fridge, and leftover veggies of all kinds!

6 cups of cubed bread
5 eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1 tsp salt
2 (or more) cups grated cheese- a mix of varieties is fine!
A couple handfuls of chopped onion, sweet or hot peppers, leeks, kale, tomatoes, any kind of fresh herbs, or whatever suites your fancy!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart of 2-liter casserole dish.
In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, cream, milk, and salt. Make a layer of about a third of the bread cubes at the bottom of the casserole dish, and sprinkle with about a third of the cheese and half of your veggies. Repeat for another layer, then top with the remaining bread cubes and cheese.
Pour the egg mixture into the casserole and bake for 40min. Let it rest for about 10min before serving.

Recipe: Kale Salad With Radishes & Dijon Tahini Dressing


Adapted from Dishing Up The Dirt

Dressing
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1 1//2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon capers, drained
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper to taste

Salad
1 large bunch of kale, tough stems trimmed and torn into bite size pieces
1 grilled chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces (optional)
3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 of a small onion, diced
1/2 cup toasted raw almonds, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Use a blender or small food processor to whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Taste test and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.

Place the chopped kale in a large bowl, drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of the dressing and use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves until they become tender and turn bright green. Toss in the remainder of the ingredients and drizzle with more dressing. Serve.

Recipe: Sauteed Kale & Goat Cheese Crostini with Balsamic Reduction

From Adventures in Cooking

Balsamic Reduction

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Kale Crostini

5 large leaves of kale torn into pieces with the thick center veins removed and discarded
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 slices French bread
8 ounces goat's cheese can be feta, chèvre...any kind of goat or sheep's cheese
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
freshly ground black pepper

Simmer ingredients for the Balsamic Reduction in a small saucepan over low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature to thicken.

Sauté the kale with the olive oil and balsamic in a medium-sized frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat until the kale cooks down, shrinks, and becomes wrinkly, about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Brush both side of each slide of bread with a tablespoon of the butter and toast them on a grill or griddle until lightly golden. Remove from heat and set aside.
Sprinkle or spread 1 ounce of cheese onto each toast, sprinkle each with a pinch of black pepper, and place a few pieces of kale over the cheese. Drizzle the balsamic reduction over the crostinis and serve immediately.

Recipe: Baked Chard With Peppers & Feta

from Fountain Avenue Kitchen

This unique way of cooking chard delivers crisp edges and golden brown bits of feta. Try adding in your reserved beet greens!

 

1 bunch rainbow chard (about 8 ounces), rinsed and well drained

1 medium onion, chopped or sliced (separate the pieces)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use (plus a little extra for greasing the pan)

1 bell pepper, seeded and thickly sliced or chopped

1 slightly rounded 1/2 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled

Freshly ground pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 teaspoon)

Optional: chopped, toasted walnuts for garnish (about 1/4 cup)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with sides with olive oil.

Separate the stems from the leaves of the Swiss chard and chop both, keeping the piles separate. I like to chop the stems into bite-size pieces and the leaves into pieces 2-3 inches long and across.

 

Toss the chard stems and sliced onion in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with pepper to taste, and spread onto the prepared baking sheet. (I completely omit salt in this recipe as the feta offers sufficient saltiness; if you prefer more, you may always salt at the end.)

Bake in the preheated oven until the chard stems have softened and the onion is starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir around a little.

 

In the bowl you used to toss the stems and onions, toss the chard leaves and the sliced pepper with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a few more grinds of the pepper mill. (I find this easiest to do with my clean hands.) Sprinkle the leaves and peppers over the stem mixture, and then scatter the feta cheese over top.

 

Return to the oven, and bake until the leaves are beginning to crisp and the feta is starting to turn golden, about 20 minutes. You may also broil for a minute or so at the end to add a hint of crispiness to the leaves and a touch of golden brown to the feta. Just watch very closely so as not to burn.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the optional walnuts, if desired.

Recipe: Carrot Top Pesto

from Our Crew Member Allie!

Per Allie: “This can work for any greens really. I also like to switch around the nuts also to play with flavors (and what my pantry has)” 

 

1lb carrot tops (about 2 very full cups mashed down - sometimes the stems can be really woody, if this is the case, cut them higher up so its more leafy - it can mess with your food processor and creates a not so great texture) 

1/2 - 1 cup of oil ( I like to use a mix of olive oil and avocado oil - for me full olive oil is too strong)

2 -3 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/2 cup almonds (walnuts would also be good)

salt (to taste but probably 1 - 2 tsp depending on if your nuts are salted or not)

 

Add garlic, almonds, and greens to food processor. Turn on and drizzle in oil. After it starts to get pasty. Stop, mix and taste. Add salt and more oil as needed. Continue processing until it's smooth and everything is blended. Tastes delicious right out of the processor but even better after having a chance to mingle. Use for dressings, toss in pasta, spread on toast. Honestly it makes every dish a little happier!

Recipe: Cabbage & Kale Slaw With Mustard Vinaigrette

from The Spruce Eats

For the Salad:

4 to 6 medium leaves kale (lacinato)

1/2 medium head cabbage (green)

1/4 cup walnuts (pecans, or slivered or sliced almonds)

Salt to taste (kosher)

Pepper to taste (freshly ground)

For the Dijon Mustard Dressing:

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (grainy, or more, to taste)

1 clove garlic (minced)

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1/3 cup olive oil (good quality extra virgin)

 

 Prepare the Salad

Toast the nuts, if desired. Arrange the nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake whole, chopped, or slivered nuts in a preheated 350 F oven for about 8 to 10 minutes, checking and turning them frequently. Sliced almonds will take about half the time. Watch closely.

Cut the middle rib out of each lacinato kale leaf. Roll the leaves up into a tight roll and slice them chiffonade-style into thin strips. Put the strips of kale in a large bowl. You should have about 2 to 3 cups.

Cut the core out of the cabbage half and shred or chop the cabbage. Transfer the cabbage to the bowl with the kale.

Toss the chopped nuts with the kale and cabbage.

 

Prepare the Dressing

In a canning jar or bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, minced garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Whisk or shake well. Add a dash of salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the Dijon mustard vinaigrette over the salad. Toss the salad. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Serve with the extra dressing on the side.

Reeipe: Tumbleweed Farm's Favorite Kale Salad

From Dishing Up The Dirt

1 large bunch of kale, washed and torn into bite size pieces (remove some of the large tough stems)
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons coconut aminos (or low sodium soy sauce or tamari)
1 tablespoon water (plus more to thin if needed)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
sea salt

In a large bowl use your hands to lightly massage the raw kale for a few seconds.

Using an immersion blender or small food processor puree the garlic, tahini, vinegar, lemon juice, coconut aminos, water and nutritional yeast until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Pour half of the dressing into the bowl with the kale and use your hands to massage the dressing into the leaves. Add the diced avocado, toasted sesame seeds, pine nuts and a sprinkle of sea salt. Divide between plates and drizzle with additional dressing.

Recipe: Arugula Pesto

From NYT Cooking

2 garlic cloves, cut in half, green shoots removed
2 heaped tablespoons shelled walnuts
4 ounces arugula, stemmed, washed and dried 2 cups leaves, tightly packed
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ to ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, as needed
⅓ to ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, to taste

Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. When they are chopped and adhering to the sides, stop the machine, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the walnuts. Turn on the machine, and process until they are finely ground. Scrape down the bowl again, and add the arugula and the salt. Pulse until the arugula is finely chopped, then turn on the machine and run while you slowly drizzle in the olive oil. When the mixture is smooth, stop the machine, scrape down the sides and process for another 30 seconds or so. Scrape out into the bowl of a mortar and pestle. Grind the mixture with the pestle for a smoother texture. Work in the cheese and combine well.

Recipe: Chard Saag


From Genius Kitchen
The Saag that you see on the menu in Indian restaurants is typically made with spinach, but chard is an excellent substitute! If you enjoy your saag a bit more on the rich and decadent side, adding a splash of cream does just the trick.

1bunch chard, cleaned, stems removed
8 tablespoons vegetable oil or 8 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
2 medium onions, minced
2 tablespoons vindaloo curry paste
1⁄2 cup water
2vgarlic cloves, minced
2 inches ginger, minced

  • Finely chop chard leaves and set aside.

  • Heat oil or ghee in heavy bottomed saute pan at med-high. When oil is hot, add onion (be careful, as the oil may splatter) and sauté until transparent. Add chopped chard and let wilt. Add vindaloo and reduce heat.

  • Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 10-20 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. If you find the mixture is getting dry, add water.

  • After simmering, raise heat and add garlic and ginger. Stir and heat for 5 minutes.

  • Serve with Naan bread and/or basamati rice.

(NOTE: If you want to add paneer or potatoes, etc, fold them into the mixture along with garlic and ginger).

Recipe: Ethiopian Collard Greens

From Immaculate Bites
This spicy and aromatic African recipe will change how you think about collards! For a full meal try pairing the greens with lentil stew

1 bunch Collard Greens (try mixing in your Komatsuna as well!), roughly chopped
3 or more tablespoons Niter Ethiopian Spiced Butter , ghee, or cooking oil
1 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 large white onion chopped
1 teaspoon smoke paprika
½ teaspoon cardamom spice
1 teaspoon coriander/Cumin
1-2 Fresh Chili pepper or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or more
1 fresh lemon

In a large skillet, add oil, spiced butter, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, cumin, cardamom, paprika, sauté for about 30 seconds or more, be careful not to let the ingredients burn. Then add onions, mix with the spices. Sauté for about 3-5 min.

Throw in chopped collards, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, Continue cooking for another 7-10 minutes until flavors have blended and greens are cooked, according to preference. Adjust seasonings –Salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Chard Polenta

From The Book Of Greens
Add a poached egg on top to make a meal, or serve with braised meats or mushrooms!

5 cups chicken stock
1 cup polenta
1 bunch chard
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs olive oil
2 oz grated Fontina (or Parmesan)

Combine 2 cups of the chicken stock with the polenta in a pot over medium heat and stir until the polenta starts to simmer. Turn down the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the polenta grains are cooked and tender and the polenta has a very thick consistency, 30-45 min.

While the polenta is cooking, fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot filled with salted water to a simmer, add the greens, and cook until tender, 2-3 min Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the greens to the ice water to chill quickly. Darin, then using your hands, wring out the greens until mostly dry. Chill the greens in the refrigerator.

When the polenta is almost done, combine the greens with the remaining 1 cup of cold stock in a blender and puree until smooth. Decrease the heat under the polenta to low and add the butter, olive oil, and Fontina or Parmesan. Stir to combine. Add the pureed greens, season with salt, and gently warm over low heat.

Recipe: Eggs In A Nest

From writer Barbara Kingsolver's book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle"

(This recipe makes dinner for a family of four, but can easily be cut in half.)

Two cups uncooked brown rice— Cook rice with four cups water in a covered pot while other ingredients are being prepared.

Olive oil – a few tbsp; 1 medium onion, chopped; garlic to taste—-- Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a wide skillet until lightly golden.

Carrots, chopped; ½ cup dried tomatoes—- Add and saute for a few more minutes, adding just enough water to rehydrate the tomatoes.

One really large bunch of chard, coarsely chopped — Mix with other vegetables and cover pan for a few minutes. Uncover, stir well, then use the back of a spoon to make depressions in the cooked leaves, circling the pan like numbers on a clock.

Eight eggs — Break an egg into each depression, being careful to keep yolks whole. Cover pan again and allow eggs to poach for three to five minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Recipe: Anything Goes Green Sauce

A Farm Favorite

Think of this pesto-like sauce as a way to use up carrot tops, fennel fronds, radish greens, hearty greens, extra garlic, and other things lurking in your crisper. Your palate is the only limit!

1 cup packed greens and/or herbs
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
1 large clove of garlic
2 tbs lemon juice

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until the oil is emulsified and the sauce looks uniform.

Toss with pasta or roasted veggies, mix into mayo for sandwiches, stir a dollop into scrambled eggs, add a couple tsp to salad dressings, or incorporate into hummus to sneak some greens into the picky eaters in your family. Make in large batches and freeze!

Recipe: Any Greens Instant Pot Saag

This is a go-to recipe for us and several of our long-time members when there are a lot of greens that need to be used up at once!  You can incorporate your turnip greens, radish greens, komatsuna, curly kale, and just about any other leafy green veggie!

 

2 tablespoons ghee

2 onions, diced

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced ginger

 

Spices

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne, adjust to taste

½ teaspoon turmeric

2 pounds greens (spinach, mustard, turnip and radish greens, collards, kale, etc)

Pinch of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Ghee or butter, for serving

 

Press the “saute” button on the Instant Pot and add the ghee. Once it melts, add the onion, garlic, ginger and spices to the pot and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the spinach, stirring until it wilts and there’s enough room to add the mustard greens.

Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 15 minutes at high pressure. Naturally release pressure. Remove the lid and use an immersion blender to puree the contents of the pot (or pour the contents into a blender and then add the blended mixture back into the pot).

 

Stir in the dried fenugreek leaves. Serve with ghee.

Recipe: Lemon & Ginger Kale Chips

From Serious Eats

1 bunch (about 7 ounces) kale, rinsed and well dried
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky or coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set 2 oven racks at the centermost positions.

Trim the tough stems from the kale leaves. Cut larger leaves crosswise into 3- to 4-inch portions; smaller leaves can be baked as is. Put the kale in a large bowl, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the leaves, and toss well with your hands to evenly coat the leaves with oil. The curlier the leaves, the more you’ll want to use your fingers to rub a bit of oil into the nooks and crannies. Just a light gloss of oil is the goal; drizzle another teaspoon or two over if needed, but avoid excessive oil. Arrange the kale pieces on the prepared baking sheets, the leaves touching each other as little as possible.

Combine the lemon zest, ginger, and salt in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub the ingredients together well. (Be sure to do this at the last minute.) Sprinkle the salt mixture over the kale leaves.

Bake for 10 minutes. Switch the baking sheets and continue baking until the leaves are dry and rigid but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes longer. If some leaves at the outer edges of the baking sheets are ready earlier, transfer them to a wire rack and continue baking the remaining leaves for a few minutes.

Use a metal spatula to transfer the leaves to a wire rack to cool. Serve on a platter or in a broad shallow bowl. The kale chips are best on the day they are made but can be stored for up to 1 day in an airtight container.

Recipe: Collard Greens Mineira

From Serious Eats
Serve these delicious greens as a side or spoon them over cheesy grits with a fried egg to create a full meal!

1 bunch collard greens
3 slices center-cut bacon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash collard greens. Carefully strip or cut leaves from stems and discard stems. Stack leaves one on top of the next. Roll leaves from stem end to tip into a cigar shape. Cut cigar crosswise into strips 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick (as you would to chiffonade herbs, but thicker).

Cut bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch batons. Place a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crisp, stirring occasionally. Add collard greens to pan and cook, stirring constantly until just wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.