I normally stir-fry my greens or sautee them with garlic and butter. :) For bitter ones, I use balsamic vinegar. 2008-10-15T00:06:57+11:00 false 5388 1416 2008-10-15T00:06:57+11:00 4149 I had quiche with swiss chard at a neighborhood cafe a few weeks ago. It's one of the reasons I decided to put swiss chard in. Greens like those-- swiss chard, spinach, turnip or beet greens, etc.-- can go into all kinds of baked dishes, I would think. Casseroles, lasagna, quiche, what else? I also throw them into stews to bulk them up if I've got them. Does anyone use carrot greens? Can you? 2008-10-15T00:58:48+11:00 false 5393 1416 2008-10-15T00:58:48+11:00 3568 I think you can use carrot greens. :) 2008-10-15T01:03:34+11:00 false 5394 1416 2008-10-15T01:03:34+11:00 4149 I put carrot greens in salads. 2008-10-15T01:17:53+11:00 false 5395 1416 2008-10-15T01:17:53+11:00 1713 Oohhh - I've been giving to my friend Harriet, to feed her rabbits, but if I can put them in a salad.... ;) Are they any good? 2008-10-15T02:58:33+11:00 false 5397 1416 2008-10-15T02:58:33+11:00 372 Annet, I'm honestly not sure. When I make salad, it tends to be a crazy assortment of many different greens. I just add a handful of carrot greens to it. On their own, they don't have a lot of flavor, but at the moment I'm obsessed with eating a diverse number of greens, so into the salad they go! 2008-10-15T03:22:48+11:00 false 5399 1416 2008-10-15T03:22:48+11:00 1713 I find that carrot greens are fairly bitter. Not bitter melon bitter, but beyond arugula bitter. A bit of them in salad or a lot of them in braised greens is nice. 2008-10-15T05:13:20+11:00 false 5402 1416 2008-10-15T05:13:20+11:00 1237 This year was the first year we participated in our local CSA, and I knew going into it that I was going to have to get creative with the harvests to make sure none of it got wasted. That said, I have picky eaters in my house...so most vegetables have to be hidden in their favorite dishes. Surprisingly, I've totally come to rely on swiss chard, kale, and spinach to deliver nutrients in my undercover hidden veggie missions. I remove the stalks, wash the leaves, steam them, and then puree them in a food processor. I keep the resulting green goop in the fridge and use it in tomato sauce, brown gravy, burgers, meatballs, and meatloaf: ) It gives all the ground meat meals a very rich, full flavor, and makes them juicer, too. My husband requests it in his burgers now: ) I am not a picky eater- just a vegetarian: )- and I like the greens I mentioned above sauteed with garlic, onions, peppers, and egg whites (I'm a vegetarian with high cholesterol: (), with a few pecans or pinenuts thrown in for texture, drizzled with melted lowfat cream cheese to even out any bitterness. Mozzarella does a good job, too, but I use less cream cheese, which means less calories and cholesterol, ect.: ) I also want to say Thanks for the Carrot greens comments! I was up to my armpits one day in CSA carrots and their greens, and asked a friend of a friend who happened to be in my kitchen when I was cooking, if I could use the greens for anything. She's an organic foodie, so I trusted her when she said they are *poisonous*! How my heart aches at the thought of all the greens I wasted that day: ( After that, I stopped choosing carrots from my CSA choices, so I haven't wasted any since!) Upon reading your comment, Katxena, I was prompted to wiki (!I heart wikipedia!) the matter, and was ecstatic to find that carrot greens are considered leaf vegetables, like kale and spinach, ect. And I got really into the carrot data; I'm definitely going to try out some Nante carrots in my garden next season: ) 2008-10-15T05:34:57+11:00 false 5403 1416 2008-10-15T05:34:57+11:00 4494 Sounds like carrot greens probably would make a good roux or broth (come to think of it I do dump carrot greens into my veggie broths. Good thing I never heard about the poison thing!) Which reminds me that I just made a tomato bisque last night with 5 bag-ripened tomatoes, and I used broth made with leeks greens. (Yes. It was yummy! candigrrrl once the kids leave you can eat things like tomato bisque again! No disguises necessary, lol.) 2008-10-15T06:15:32+11:00 false 5405 1416 2008-10-15T06:15:32+11:00 3568 I stir-fry greens Chinese style. I usually fry the minced garlic (sometimes ginger or minced chilli too) in some oil till fragrant, add mushrooms (usually shitake) or sliced meat (usually pork or chicken) or dried shrimp and fry a bit more, then add the leaves and mix them around till wilted. I then add light soy sauce (for the lighter greens like pak choy and pea sprouts) or dark soy sauce (for the darker greens like kang kong) and/or oyster sauce (which I think goes with everything). Sometimes I add Chinese rice wine if I have it. Finally I sprinkle sesame seed oil over the dish. 2008-10-15T20:41:24+11:00 false 5421 1416 2008-10-15T20:42:56+11:00 4162 Rockabella - I love that type of stir-fry! I usually fry the meat first and then add the garlic (and ginger & chili), because I don't want the garlic to burn or become too brown. Does anyone have any alternative (Asian) stir-fry recipes, because I would like to see if I can get some different flavors into it. 2008-10-15T21:57:06+11:00 false 5422 1416 2008-10-15T21:57:06+11:00 372 I don't stir fry with recipes. A good rule of thumb is you can stir fry whatever seasoning combination you think would be interesting with whatever vegetable/protein combo you like. I usually put the spices in the oil a few minutes alone first to make them stronger. Then add whatever I want to flavor it with. My wok is small, so usually I do things one at a time and set them aside and mix them together at the end. If your seasonings don't taste quite right, adding a tiny pinch of brown sugar will help them blend. That would be when I'd wilt in the greens or add something like egg to bind it together. For two people that's too much for stir frying, but I can still add heat to the wok. 2008-10-16T03:36:18+11:00 false 5429 1416 2008-10-16T03:36:18+11:00 1237 Hey Annet, in Southeast Asia, it is pretty common to use certain spicy pastes in stir fries, like sambal belacan (fermented shrimp paste) and assam paste (made with tamarind). Don't know if you can get the in the Netherlands, but they make the dishes crazy good, but also very spicy. Kang kong in sambal belacan is very popular in Southeast Asia. I don't know anyone who doesn't like it. I agree with cmagnus that generally you start by making the oil fragrant first, by frying the spices and pastes. To make a sticky sauce, you could add broth to wilt the greens, then add corn starch solution (about 1 tablespoon cornflour dissolved in a couple of tablespoons of cool water). 2008-10-16T09:52:39+11:00 false 5439 1416 2008-10-16T09:54:31+11:00 4162 Wow, those pastes sound very interesting - I'm going to look for some around here. 2008-10-16T12:34:00+11:00 false 5442 1416 2008-10-16T12:34:00+11:00 1713 Katxena, if you don't have an actual Asian market, the World Market chain carries those pastes. I could never get them to taste quite right from scratch (having come late to Asian cooking, through marriage rather than blood), and these are pretty authentic. 2008-10-16T13:52:41+11:00 false 5443 1416 2008-10-16T13:54:12+11:00 3568 Sweet potato leaves in sambal belacan is wicked too. :) Also instead of light or dark soy sauce, you can use sesame seed oil or oyster sauce for flavoring. 2008-10-16T15:16:20+11:00 false 5445 1416 2008-10-16T15:17:38+11:00 4149 Hooray for Cost Plus World Market! They carry Thai Kitchen brand curry pastes and I really like the red curry paste for curries (but the green curry paste not so much). Which, of course, has nothing to do with stirfries _or_ cooked greens. :) 2008-10-16T15:26:18+11:00 false 5446 1416 2008-10-16T15:26:18+11:00 1342 Thanks for those suggestions. I can probably get those spice pastes at one of our Asian markets. They carry lots of Indonesian and Indonesian-Chinese products because of our post-colonial link to Indonesia, so plenty of different sambals there! Stock also sounds very interesting, I've been making and freezing stock these last couple of months, so I can defintely use that for stir-fries! 2008-10-16T18:36:39+11:00 false 5447 1416 2008-10-16T18:36:39+11:00 372 Does anyone have a recipe (or method or formula or whatever) for some kind of soup that has greens in it? 2008-10-19T05:07:17+11:00 false 5487 1416 2008-10-19T05:07:17+11:00 1713 Hey Kat, see "this":http://myfolia.com/groups/156-foodies/topics/1396/posts post! I used arugula (rocket) but you could use any pot greens I think. 2008-10-19T08:08:08+11:00 false 5491 1416 2008-10-19T08:08:28+11:00 1342 Oooo! Thanks V, that looks awesome! 2008-10-19T08:29:32+11:00 false 5493 1416 2008-10-19T08:29:32+11:00 1713 You can either throw them in at the last minute or let them ook along with everything else, depending on what texture you want. I don't really do recipes. But greens are nice in borscht (broth + beets + dill + greens + sour cream). They're nice added to plain vanilla stew (broth + protein + chopped veggies + greens). You can add them to eggdrop soup (broth + egg stirred in, followed by wilted greens). Sometimes I cut them into ribbons and substitute them for seaweed in miso soup (broth + miso + green onion + tofu + greens). You could add them to a ramen style soup (noodle + broth + greens). I don't know if that's helpful for ideas or not... 2008-10-19T08:58:57+11:00 false 5496 1416 2008-10-19T08:58:57+11:00 1237 Only thing is, _some_ greens can impart a good deal of bitterness to the broth if cooked directly in the final soup. I think escarole might be the worst offender, but personally I think arugula is pretty bitter too. Not everyone might think so. All depends if you like/can tolerate the taste. If you find the greens too bitter in the dish, try cooking them separately and add before serving, which will cut down on the bitterness but still give you taste and a fair amount of nutrients. 2008-10-19T09:13:15+11:00 false 5497 1416 2008-10-19T09:13:15+11:00 1342 Ooh, I just had a thought. You know how ridiculously delicious spinach dip is? Personally I don't think it tastes all that spinachy (more like all the rest of the stuff in it). I bet you could use cooked (and cooled) greens of any kind to make variations on this delicious classic... My favorite uses yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream and feta, plus a fair amount of garlic and dill, for an unbeatable spread or dip for bread... Here it is "here":http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222588. It's a Cooking Light recipe, but I don't use fat-free or low-fat anything (so sue me) and I double or triple the garlic. Yum yum yum yum yum.... 2008-10-19T09:19:35+11:00 false 5498 1416 2008-10-19T09:19:35+11:00 1342 Thinking of dips, you could probably turn your greens into a pesto. I've used rocket to make pesto, maybe other greens would work as well? Verthandei - I don't believe in fat-free or low-fat either. I'm all into real food :) 2008-10-19T20:54:42+11:00 false 5504 1416 2008-10-19T20:54:42+11:00 372 I actually use daun dewa leaves to mix with salsa. I think it is possible to use other greens too. That just gave me an idea: sweet potato leaves in a salsa or pesto. 2008-10-19T21:19:34+11:00 false 5505 1416 2008-10-19T21:19:34+11:00 4149 I'm back to report that I made the spinach dip with arugula leaves instead of spinach and it was still delicious. And Katxena, this is a kale recipe just for you: "Melange of Kale, Potatoes, and Tomatoes with Parmesan":http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223118# Ok, I admit it, I am a big Cooking Light fan. Their recipes give me a great starting point. Anyway, I like the combination of kale, potato and tomato (plus cheese). Of course I use extra garlic. :) Also be careful not to cook the potatoes too soft or they will turn to mush when you mix it all together - it still tastes good but looks less than appealing. Come to think of it, it might be optimal to boil or steam them ahead of time (or cook extra for another dinner and save the leftovers), then cut them into small pieces and add them cold to the final dish and just heat through. Adding them still hot or warm increases the likelihood of potato smashage. Hmmm.... ETA: I also meant to mention "this":http://orangette.blogspot.com/2008/10/pleasantly-sogged.html recipe for boiled kale (it isn't like it sounds), which is delicious with a fried egg on toast as described, and "this":http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001566.html mashed potato recipe that cleverly incorporates kale. :) 2008-10-27T13:50:02+11:00 false 5606 1416 2008-10-29T16:41:03+11:00 1342 "Here's another one":http://myfolia.com/journals/28116-never-fear-too-much-parsley-again, Katxena, if you're willing to stretch a point and call parsley a green (although I think this would work with any green). Vegetarian Epicure site is great, if a little impenetrable, but follow your common sense and use the search options to come up with recipes. Other stuff-- I make what I call Greek hush puppies-- potato balls mixed with feta and deep fried. You'd have to drain a lot of the moisture off, but it occurs to me that these would be fantasic with a strong-tasting sauteed green mixed in. Update on the carrot-greens question-- I tried some carrot greens in a tuna casserole earlier this week. Flavor great, texture not so much. I stripped the stems, then just boiled them and put them in the casserole as though it was spinach. I think it would be better to chop it quite fine and sautee it waaaaay down to really break down the texture. We had to pull them all out before we could eat it. However, the flavor is fantastic-- they actually taste like carrots. I'll try it again sometime, but I think the best use for these is broth. 2008-10-27T22:22:10+11:00 false 5612 1416 2008-10-27T22:22:39+11:00 3568 Thanks V & nax! Verthandei, your link didn't work - the recipe sounds great, do you think you can repost it? I'm a huge fan of cooking light too. I usually double the garlic and other seasonings (except for hot peppers, I have half those because my husband doesn't like hot foods), but in my experience, cooking light recipes are always at least fine, and often quite good. Thanks for the hookup to the Vegetarian Epicurian site nax. I can tell I'll be exploring it carefully. I tried a great recipe from <a href="http://thescramble.com/">The Six O'Clock Scramble</a> website, for greens and frozen gnocchi. You prepare the gnocchi according to the package directions, then saute greens with garlic in oil for about 2 minutes, then steam them for 5-8 minutes, depending on what greens you are using. Then you add a can of lightly drained diced tomatoes to the greens and stir and cook until the tomatoes are warm. Ad the gnocchi to the greens & tomatoes and stir. Serve topped with grated Parmesan. I added oregano and red pepper to the garlic, and grated black pepper over the dish before adding the parm. It was really good. 2008-10-27T23:41:19+11:00 false 5614 1416 2008-10-27T23:41:19+11:00 1713 Hmm...sounds good! When you say 'steam them for 5-8 minutes', do you actually transfer the sauteed greens + garlic to a steamer or do you just cover the pan and turn the heat down? 2008-10-28T00:18:31+11:00 false 5616 1416 2008-10-28T00:18:31+11:00 372 Good question Annet -- I mean to cover the sauteed greens & garlic and turn the heat down. Add a bit of broth or water if necessary, but if you left the greens wet after cleaning them, they shouldn't need any additional liquid. 2008-10-28T06:15:18+11:00 false 5621 1416 2008-10-28T06:15:18+11:00 1713 I usually prepare kale in a very simple way (with 2 variations): Remove and discard kale stems/ribs, then tear leaves into pieces and rinse. Transfer the pile of wet kale leaf pieces to a pot and cook gently, while stirring, until wilted (a couple of minutes). Transfer the kale back to the colander. Chop several cloves of garlic - I'm a big fan of garlic! Saute the garlic in olive oil, return the kale to the pot, and stir just until coated and warm. This is my favorite method when the kale is very fresh and tasty (sometimes I'll just munch on the wilted kale without anything else on it as finger food), and it also works great with fresh spinach or collards. If I've bought a bunch of kale from a grocery store and it isn't all that amazing (or if I'm cooking chard - which has a less appealing flavor to me than kale), I add a splash of sesame oil + some sesame seeds to the mix. Very quick and simple, and one of my all-time favorite dishes... :) 2008-10-28T07:28:39+11:00 false 5622 1416 2008-10-28T09:43:45+11:00 2243 Thanks redloon. Those are good ideas. Why do you start with the kale instead of the garlic? Is this to prevent the garlic from browning too much? Or is it so the kale cooks mostly in water and is "dressed" with the oil and garlic at the end? I've always started with garlic and oil first. I'm wondering if starting the kale alone first improves its texture or taste. 2008-10-28T08:08:50+11:00 false 5624 1416 2008-10-28T08:08:50+11:00 1713 Katxena - You're welcome! :) I've tried starting with the olive oil and garlic and then adding the raw kale and letting it wilt in the oil/garlic, but the dish doesn't turn out as well that way. I think that your second statement expresses the reason well: when the kale is cooked in water instead of being cooked in the oil/garlic it tastes lighter, fresher and more flavorful to me. 2008-10-28T09:42:33+11:00 false 5625 1416 2008-10-28T09:42:33+11:00 2243 Hm, I can't get the link to work either. Anyway, cut and paste this to get to the kale, potatoes, and tomatoes recipe! http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223118# The link still doesn't work. But cutting and pasting does. :) 2008-10-29T16:42:24+11:00 false 5633 1416 2008-10-29T16:43:13+11:00 1342 Cutting & pasting worked for me! Thanks V! 2008-10-29T23:51:58+11:00 false 5635 1416 2008-10-29T23:51:58+11:00 1713 Last night, I cooked kale redloon's way, by cooking the kale first, removing it from the pan, then cooking garlic and red pepper in oil and then adding the kale back. It worked great, thank you! 2008-11-06T04:11:26+11:00 false 5666 1416 2008-11-06T04:11:26+11:00 1713 I've been cooking my silverbeet/chard this way recently, which I adapted from the filling of spanakopita (Greek spinach pie): Brown pine nuts, pop them aside on a plate. Sautee crushed garlic, add finely-sliced stems of chard, give the two of them a couple of minutes. Then add the rest of the finely-shredded chard leaves and let them wilt. Add about a tablespoon of finely shredded fresh MINT & DILL leaves right at the end when it's about done, take off heat, stir through pine nuts. Serve with a little bit of feta cheese crumbled over the top. I've been eating this on toast for breakfast and it's fab- really fresh flavours. If you make a bunch of it, and add a good whack of ricotta & feta cheese & mix it all together & bake it in filo pastry, you have Greek spinach pie. 2008-11-06T15:05:22+11:00 false 5667 1416 2008-11-06T15:05:22+11:00 346 glittertrash, I am so in love with greens for breakfast. My fav right now is sauted swiss chard with onions and garlic, on toast with a fried egg on the top. I want to try the boiled kale recipe Verthandei linked to up thread. The pine nuts sound yummy. 2008-11-07T01:39:10+11:00 false 5671 1416 2008-11-07T01:39:10+11:00 1713 Last night, I made a baked artichoke pasta. It's basically artichoke dip with penne pasta tossed in, then baked for 30 minutes like mac & cheese. It was very good, but was too salty, I suspect due to all the canned artichoke hearts. I don't see why one couldn't do the same thing with spinach dip -- mix up the dip (using, as Verthandei suggested above, any potherb), chuck in some penne, sprinkle panko on top, then bake. I'm going to try that next week (pasta night only comes once a week at my house). I'll let you all know what happens. 2008-11-12T02:28:52+11:00 false 5704 1416 2008-11-12T02:29:14+11:00 1713 Last night I made soup with onions, kale, broth, potato, greens, and sausage. The greens were kale, chervil, dill, and cilantro. It was way better than using just kale. 2008-11-12T05:19:28+11:00 false 5706 1416 2008-11-12T05:19:28+11:00 1237 That sounds awesome cmagnus! 2008-11-12T05:38:35+11:00 false 5707 1416 2008-11-12T05:38:35+11:00 1713