Rapini

CATEGORY: greens

This cooking green has an unbelievably large number of aliases.... here goes: brocolli raab, broccolirab, broccoli de rape, broccoli de rabe, brocoletti di rape, brocoletto, rappi, rape, raab, cima di rapa, cima di rabe, choy sum, chinese flowering cabbage.  Whew. The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter and pungent.

Rapini is a slightly bitter cooking green that has long been popular in Italy and is now catching on in America.  It′s best to just eat the florets and leaves as the stems are quite bitter.

A common preparation involves sauteing with olive oil and garlic over low heat for 10 minutes.

Nutritional Content: Rapini is a good source of vitamins A, C and K as well as potassium, calcium and iron.

Rapini and Garlic

CATEGORY: greens

Ingredients

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

1 C Rapini, bottom 3-4 Inches of Stems Trimmed

1 C Low-Sodium, No-Fat Chicken Broth

Directions

Heat garlic in oil over medium heat in a large skillet until garlic sizzles in oil.  Add the rapini, as much as you can fit in the pan at a time.  Turn and coat with oil as you wilt the greens.  Add broth.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Simmer 10-12 minutes to soften the bitterness of the greens (although it IS a bitter green, that is how it′s supposed to be). Photo Serves 4

Mustard Greens

CATEGORY: greens

Mustard Greens are my favorite of all the "cooking" greens.  Well, at least at the moment, I′m having euphoric recall.  They are also referred to as curled mustard, indian mustard, brassica juncea or chinese mustard.  These are definitely more popular in the South than in the rest of the country (boy are they missing out!).  There are red and green varieties and both have a mustardy, peppery bite.  If the greens are too strong for your taste you can tame the taste by blanching the greens in salted water.  The flavor of a mustard green is best described as having a distinct horseradish-mustard flavor.

Rachael Ray has a great Mustard Green recipe, this has received great reviews!:

Ingredients:

4 Slices of Bacon, Chopped

3 Bunches of Mustard Greens, Chopped

2 T White Vinegar

2 tsp Sugar

Course Salt

2 C Chicken Broth

Directions

In a large skillet over medium high heat brown bacon and render its fat. Add chopped greens to the pan in batches and turn until they wilt, then add more greens. When all of the greens are in the pan, add vinegar and cook a minute. Season greens with sugar and salt. Add chicken broth to the pan and cover. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer greens 15 to 20 minutes then serve! VIOLA! Serves 4

Turnip Greens, Field Peas and Ham Hocks

CATEGORY: Greens

This is a great simple recipe which pulls out the richest flavors!

Ingredients

2 Bag of Turnips Greens, Stems Removed

1 (or 2) Bags of Field Peas

2 Ham Hocks (Ham Ends, Bacon or Bacon Ends)

1/2 C Diced Celery

1/2 C Bell Pepper Chopped

1/4 C Carrots Diced

1 Small Onion Chopped

1 Can Tomatoes

1/2 tsp Creole (Cayenne) Seasoning

2 Jalapeños (Leave Seeds for Hot)

3 Free-Range Eggs

2 T Cooking Oil

Salt to Taste

Directions

Wash greens.  Bring 3 cups of water to a full rolling boil and place ham/pork into the water and boil for 30 minutes.  Add your turnip greens, field peas, tomatoes, celery, bell pepper, carrots and jalapeños.  Boil for 20 minutes.  Add the chopped onion and crack the eggs into the boiling greens but do not stir.  Let the eggs cook for a few minutes until they set.  Then gently stir, to make sure they cook completely.  Add cooking oil, seasonings and salt.

These turnip greens, field peas and ham are great as a meal unto to themselves.  They are also perfect served with pork roast, candied sweet potatoes and corn bread. Photo Serves 4 as a side dish or Serves 2 as a main meal. 

Swiss Chard

CATEGORY: greens

Swiss Chard is a "cooking green" and is otherwise known as chard or spinach beet.  It′s used much like spinach except that it has an appealing beet-like flavor and heavier texture and therefore requires longer cooking.  The simplest way to cook swss chard is simple saute it in olive oil and serve it as a side dish.  We carry swiss chard and "bright lights" swiss chard.  They cook and taste the same but we love the pretty colors of the bright lights variety. 

The leaves of swiss chard are shiny, green ribbed leaves with stems that range from white to yellow to red depending on the cultivar. 

Nutritional Content:  A one cup (175g) serving contains vitamins A (214%), K (716%) and C (53%)of the recommended daily value and a lovely 35 calories.  Swiss chard also has 7g carbs and 3g protein.