Wilted Greens Salad with Butternut Squash and Apple

This recipe appeared in the February 2012 issue of Bon Appétit. It’s very like the wilted kale salads that have become ubiquitous on high-end salad bars.

This recipe is from Michael Paley of the Garage Bar in Louisville, Kentucky. As the magazine put it, “This dish flips conventional Southern cookery on its head. Rather than cooking greens into submission, they’re quickly brined to soften their texture and mellow their bitterness, then married with the sweet, salty, and creamy elements of a composed salad.”

I can’t wait to try this. And yes, I still have a butternut squash from last year’s box that’s been waiting for just this recipe.

Beets and Greens Gratin

Sadly, I do not know where this recipe came from, but as the beet harvest is winding down, thought you might enjoy one more way to use those beets. It provides very detailed directions for dealing with your beets. For those of you who are not fans of goat cheese, substitute any soft cheese, even cream cheese. This recipe is a bit of trouble, but would make a great entrée or side dish for entertaining. You can prepare everything ahead of time and refrigerate, then bake just before you need it for dinner.

Savannah Peanut Collard Greens

This idea for collard greens comes from “From The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking” by Joseph E. Dabney (Cumberland House). The book includes this note:

“Brimming bowls of collard greens infused with peanut butter are one of the most popular side dishes served at Andrew and Eileen Trice’s Angel’s Barbecue located on West Oglethorpe Lane in Savannah’s historic district. Andrew picked up the idea from a friend who had visited West Africa and witnessed firsthand how it was done there. On occasion, Andrew adds hot chili peppers, following another West African practice.

“On the raining late October day that I visited their small restaurant tucked in a lane behind the Independent Presbyterian Church, Andrew and Eileen had sold out of the unusual dish. So unfortunately I did not get to try it firsthand. But they still shared the recipe with me!”

Beet Green Strata

This recipe is adapted from one in “Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Natural Foods Kitchen” by Heidi Swanson. The recipe was written for spinach, but your beet greens will work perfectly here. The only caveat, any time you cook with beet greens, you’ll end up with a pink-tinted dish. Just warn your guests and all will be well. Serves 6.

Stratas are one of the most forgiving and accepting of dishes. Combine anything tasty, let it sit overnight and bake the next day. Hot breakfast/dinner as easy as can be.

Stale bread is great, but fresh bread works fine. You may not want to soak it quite as long. As a matter of fact, if you want to skip the “sitting” step, you can assemble a strata and bake it right away, as long as you use fresh bread.

Not a fan of feta? Substitute whatever cheese you like.

Collard Greens and Cheddar Cheese Pakoras

Here’s a recipe for when you run out of ideas for collard greens this fall. It comes from the Food 52 blog. Besan or chickpea flour is traditional and can be found at the DeKalb or Buford Highway Farmers Markets or at stores that sell Indian groceries. Not sure if Whole Foods or Sevananda carries it. You could substitute all-purpose flour if that’s simpler.

Sweet Potatoes with Collard Greens and Field Peas

With apologies to those of you who get emails from Whole Foods, this is a recipe that just arrived in my inbox today. “Sweet potatoes, collard greens …. and how about substituting those field peas for the aduki beans called for in the recipe,” I thought. And so, here it is.