Notes on Greens

Greens storage: All of the sturdy greens (chard, bok choy, cabbage, kale) should be stored the same way. Put them into a plastic bag and leave it unsealed. Put into your vegetable crisper. The outer leaves may wilt, but the inner leaves will be fine. And for other uses for your greens: think about braises, making Read More…

Kale Tabouli

For years I was a tabbouleh purist. I grew up with a Syrian mom, we ate tabouli every week. And it was four ingredients – chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions and softened bulgur – dressed with salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. That was it.

But, I’ve come to appreciate tabouli as a way to enjoy all kinds of greens. And when faced with a huge mound of beautiful greens as in this week’s box, I’m glad to have a way to reduce some of that volume in a delicious way.

This recipe is adapted from one on the Food52 blog. No parsley? No cucumber? Don’t let that stop you. They used quinoa – I’d still just make it with softened bulgur (cracked wheat). Bulgur requires no cooking – much friendlier in the kitchen on these steamy days.

Marinated Kale and Chickpea Salad with Sumac Onions

There are a million kale salad recipes out there, and no doubt you’ve already got a few favorites. I like this one with its Middle Eastern touch of sumac. You can buy sumac at Sevananda or any store that carries Middle Eastern groceries. It has a nice tartness and pretty red color. Substitute another spice, like Spanish paprika, or herb, like thyme, if you don’t have any on hand and don’t want to find it. But the nice thing about buying spices and herbs at places like Sevananda is that you can literally buy just a teaspoon and try it out – no huge investment in a jar that will sit in your pantry for years.

This method of tempering onions is a great one to have in your repertoire. Cuts the bite but leaves you the crunch and the flavor.

Slow Cooker Red Curry Soup with Chicken and Greens

I’ll be making this recipe adapted from one on seriouseats.com because I have some red curry paste leftover from testing recipes and am delighted to have yet another use for it. Not to mention, what’s not to love about a slow cooker recipe? Easy, and dinner is done while you’re off doing other things. You could use the Swiss chard or the bok choy if you have another plan for your kale, and vary the other vegetables by what you have on hand.