“A Versatile Recipe for the Hearty Greens You Don’t Know What to Do With”
adapted from The Farm to Table Cookbook, by Ivy Manning
We checked Manning’s new cookbook out of the library to give it a quick read and found a delightful series of recipes paired with beautiful photos and sweet bios of local farms (including some friends of ours). What follows is Manning’s take on a ‘use it for lots of stuff’ greens preparation method. As she says ‘There are no quantities here; each batch of greens will have a different flavor and quantity; just sprinkle the other ingredients sparingly on the greens until you get a flavorful blend.’ Sounds like our kind of ‘recipe.’
Tear the leaves from ribs and stems of one bunch hearty greens (turnips, kale, etc. — bok choy and tatsoi would work too). Bring a pot of water to boil, add the leaves, and boil until tender, 1 to 2 minutes depending on the type of greens.
Drain the greens in a colander and push on them to remove as much water as possible.
Roughly chop the cooked greens and place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle lightly with sesame oil and soy sauce; toss to coat. Sprinle with toasted sesame seeds or furikake (a Japanese condiment) and serve as a side dish or salad.
Braised Lacinato Kale
adapted from The Farm to Table Cookbook, by Ivy Manning
Rinse one or more bunches kale well (or other greens) and tear leaves from rib. Tear leaves into 2-inch pieces and place in a colander.
Cook 1 slice chopped thick-cut bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer to a small bowl, leaving bacon fat in pan.
Put kale leaves with water still clinging from washing in the pan; stir with tongs to wilt. Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and 3 tablespoons chicken stock. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with and pepper, sprinkle bacon over top, and serve.
Braised Bok Choy & other greens with noodles
Looking to use up market leftovers and feed some hungry farm workers last Friday, I whipped up a greens-filled tasty lunch for three. Here’s how to recreate our delicious repast and use lots of greens in one meal:
In a large pan, cook a chopped onion in oil over medium. Add washed chopped mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms release juice and begin browning. Wash and chop one bunch of kale leaves and add to pan. Stir and cover to let wilt. Wash and chop an entire bag’s worth of bok choy and add to pan. Add more oil if necessary; stir, cover, and let wilt. A minute later, wash and chop an entire bag’s worth of tatsoi and add to pan. Again, add more oil if necessary; stir, cover, and let wilt.
Once greens are all thoroughly wilted, add some soy sauce and sesame seeds and stir to blend flavors. Toss with freshly cooked noodles. Add soy sauce as necessary to season and coat. Serve immediately.
