Spring and fall
I have one standard treatment for all these sturdy, leafy greens. Dump them all into a sink full of cold water. Especially in hot weather, rehydrating the leafy greens will extend their life by days. You need enough water that the leaves float and the dirt sinks. Swish things around, then let them sit so the dirt settles. Scoop the leaves off the top and wrap them in a dish towel or paper towels and then maybe put all that into a plastic bag. Leave the bag open so moisture can escape. If you can make the time, it’s really best to go ahead and prep the leaves the way you’ll want them for your recipes. Strip leaves off stems, for example, maybe chop the leaves. Just remember that the smaller the bit of green you’re storing, the shorter the time it will keep. So chopped kale – a day or two. Whole kale leaves? Weeks. (Although weeks means the leaves get more and more wilted.)
We do receive enough greens that you may want to freeze them for using over the winter when there’s no weekly Riverview box. Best to do the traditional blanching. Prep the leaves in the form you’re most likely to use for cooking, put them into boiling water until they just turn color, then put them into a bowl of ice water to quickly cool. Drain them, squeeze out excess moisture and place in freezer storage containers.
(2023) Greens Grilled Cheese
I’ve been wanting to make the Greens Grilled Cheese from Steven Satterfield’s new cookbook so that, along with a pot of vegetable soup (white potatoes, peppers, greens, carrots) is what’s for dinner tomorrow. Sarah Dodge’s Colette Bakery opened just two blocks from our house and I will get down there for a loaf of her sourdough levain for those sandwiches.
Atlanta chef Steven Satterfield describes this sandwich as a “healthy-meets-decadent mash-up,” and it’s true. Use a mix of greens if possible. These sandwiches are large, half of one is plenty. Because the bread slices are so thick, the oven helps melt the cheese.
Adapted from “Vegetable Revelations” by Steven Satterfield (Harper Wave, 2023).
~Conne
(2022) Black-Eyed Pea and Mustard Green Soup
From the Washington Post
(2021) Braising Greens Pancakes
And for a new recipe, I’m sharing another recipe from Aluma Farms, one they adapted from SmittenKitchen.com. It’s totally adaptable for whatever greens were in your box … or will be in next week’s box …. or the box the week after that.
(2021) Salade Lyonnaise
I have two new ideas for you this week. The first is for that bunch of mustard greens with this recipe for Salade Lyonnaise from Mark Bittman via the New York Times. It’s a simple salad that uses bitter greens – usually frisee or escarole – but I’m substituting those mustard greens. The warm dressing tenderizes the greens and the poached eggs are a perfect complement.
(2017) Sweet Potato and Greens Stir Fry
This is adapted from another recipe from Paolo. She used bok choy in her recipe, and we’ve adapted it for what’s in today’s box. I haven’t tried all the peppers to see if any are slightly hot. Maybe you still have a jalapeno from weeks past?
(2017) African Chick Pea Soup
If you don’t want to just roast that sweet potato and devour it whole, try this recipe from Southern Living. And save the idea of making sweet potato broth for other dishes you’ll fix this year.
(2017) Hard Cider Mustard
Yes, you can make mustard. it’s easy. Try this recipe from the Los Angeles Times. And if you don’t have both brown and black mustard seeds, don’t worry. Just use one or the other. It’s just prettier with both.
Health Soup
So a little more complicated, a recipe from the New York Times. Delicious and worth pulling together. I’m finding lots of dried shiitakes these days at local farmers markets – a great way for the farmer to add value to shiitakes he/she might not have been able to sell fresh.
If you prefer, use instant dashi for the whole kombu/bonita flake thing. All available at Sevananda or wherever you buy such things.
Stuffed Delicata Squash
I’m particularly fond of stuffing delicata squash and have adapted from a recipe in from a Freedom Farmers Market email newsletter. No idea who to credit for the recipe. Try these with your mustard greens or with something milder you pick up at a local farmers market.
Pork Sausage and Greens
Scott Serpas of Inman Park’s Serpas True Food demonstrated this recipe at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market as well. It’s going to use up your mustard greens and some of your okra. Truly, this dish goes together in about 10 minutes.
Sesame Mustard Greens
An easy way to cook all kinds of greens. The toasted sesame oil is really good with mustard greens, though.
Mustard Greens with Yogurt-Parmesan Dressing
This recipe is a direct lift from Southern Living. Hmmmm …. bacon ….
To keep things local, Pine Street Market in Avondale Estates is known for their bacon and sources their pork from Riverview!
Garlicky Greens with Andouille and Onion
From Cook’s Country magazine. Use your kale and mustard greens for this one from this week’s box – but it works with any greens you like.
Roasted Moong Dal with Mustard Greens
No moong dal on hand? Try this with lentils.
Skillet Pasta with Wilted Mustard Greens
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bacon and cook until fat begins to render and bacon is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, tossing until coated with oil. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms have browned and bacon has rendered most of its fat, about 5 minutes longer. Stir Read More…
Pickled Mustard Greens
From a recipe in Saveur magazine. Pickled greens are a traditional accompaniment to spicy meat dishes in all kinds of Southeast Asian cultures.
Mustard Greens Salad with Anchovy Dressing
So nice to have mustard greens in our box this week. I love these spicy frilly leaves. This recipe makes a Caesar-type salad dressing. Don’t be afraid of the anchovies – they really stand up to the bite of the greens. I’ve adapted this recipe from chow.com.
Pasta with Tart Greens
This recipe would work with arugula and mustard greens. They’re tender enough that everything could be cooked quickly. I can’t remember the recipe’s original source.
Mushroom-Greens Noodle Kugel
You know, I’m just not sure what those greens are in this week’s box. They taste like a mild form of mustard greens – perhaps they are an Asian variety that I just don’t know. But they’re delicious. I like this in this recipe adapted from one put out by Whole Foods Market.
Curried Sweet Potato and Mustard Greens Salad
No, we haven’t received our first sweet potatoes yet, but they’re on their way soon. In the meantime, you could make this with the white potatoes that have been part of our recent boxes, or just make the mustard green salad and serve it alone. Demonstrated by Joey Ward of Gunshow at Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Love the yogurt chutney.
Cold Noodles with Fresh and Preserved Greens
Preserved mustard greens can be found canned at most Chinese markets but I’ve included a recipe for preserved greens that you could make with your collard greens. Yes, you’ll have to plan ahead of this dish, but you’ll have an interesting way to use up some of your collards.
Try your romaine lettuce in this dish, or the tender radish and beet greens. Or the cabbage! Or use the kale and cook the greens a little longer than called for here.
Adapted from recipes on seriouseats.com and Saveur magazine.
Greens with Peppers and Ham
Our final pepper recipe also features greens. Now you have an amazing assortment of greens in this week’s box. My box had a few collard leaves, a bunch of mustard greens, all the tops from those hareuki turnips and the greens from the kohlrabi. I have to say that the kohlrabi bulbs are so small (believe me, they’ll get bigger as the season goes on) that I just cleaned them and sliced them up to eat raw with the hareuki turnips. Then the greens went into the sink with all the others. I’ll be making the gumbo z’herbes we featured last year. I can’t find the recipe in the archive, so I’ll make a note to include it next week.
Anyway, here’s a recipe from chef Eddie Hernandez of Taqueria del Sol, also demonstrated last year at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. It uses greens and peppers. Hernandez’ version was all collards, but this mixture of greens in the box would work just fine. You cook the greens separately, then add them as an ingredient. Just steam the greens unless you have some leftover from another meal. Love that this will use up some of your jalapenos and tomatoes as well.
White Bean Stew with Greens and Tomatoes
I am sorry to say that I have no idea where I got this recipe. The combination of white beans with greens is a classic though, and the addition of Parmesan adds a jolt of umami that makes the combination so satisfying. You could use every green in the box in this stew – mustard, kohlrabi, collard and turnip. And substitute that jar of canned tomato sauce if you don’t have fresh tomatoes left from previous weeks.