Crispy, succulent, and sweet-flavored Asian greens are easy to grow and demand little space. Like other greens such as lettuce and spinach, they are cool-season crops and prefer to reach maturity in cool air temperatures. They are quick growing and well suited for sowing in spring for late spring harvest or late summer for autumn […] More
Collards–also called collard greens–is a tall growing form of kale whose coarse leaves borne in tufts are eaten like greens. Collards are a cool season crop but they can stand more hot weather than cabbage or ordinary kale, and so are consequently grown in the South. Georgia collards are the standard variety grown mostly in […] More
Nopales are the tear-shaped, hand-sized leaves or pads or “paddles” of the prickly pear cactus. Nopalitos are nopales (pronounce no-PAH-les)–cactus spines removed–cut into bite-sized squares or strips. To make nopalitos en salsa verde, steam or boil nopalitos until tender crunchy then re-cook in a sauce of puréed tomatillos, onion, garlic, cilantro, and jalapeño chiles boiled […] More
Chard leaves have a hearty, yet mild spinach flavor. Chard stalks have a delicate, celery-like taste and crunch. To get a bit of both flavors and texture sauté chard for 2 to 3 minutes after slicing leaves and stalks together crosswise. Here’s how we sautéed our just picked from the garden chard to match with […] More
Mizuna has a mild and tangy flavor. Toss young mizuna leaves in a mixed salad. Larger leaves—which can have a mustardy or bitter-green tang–are best cooked briefly. Mizuna is sometimes called potherb mustard. Mix mizuna with other salad greens and mesclun or add shredded mizuna leaves to soups and stir-fries at the end of […] More
You don’t have to get fancy to enjoy Brussels sprouts. Simply steam or sauté the sprouts and serve them with butter or lemon or sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, like you see here. To steam Brussels sprouts, arrange the sprouts or pieces on a steamer rack. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a rapid […] More
Mustard greens have a peppery-bitter flavor—like mustard. They have long been a favorite American soul food and are used often in Indian cookery. Short cooking is the best way to preserve the flavor and texture of mustard greens. Overcooking will cause greens to become soft and mushy. Match mustard greens with bacon, cheddar cheese, corn, […] More
The red cabbage is beautiful on the plate and in the garden. Red cabbage pickles better than green cabbage. It is stout and pungent. The Germans sometimes call red cabbage Red Kraut. Red Cabbage Serving Suggestions Red cabbage leaves are generally thicker than green or Savoy cabbages and not quite as tasty. Red cabbage […] More
Savoy cabbage is considered by many to be the best-eating cabbage. It has a very delicate texture and a flavor most consider much superior to smooth-leaved cabbage. The savoy cabbage has a yellow-green nearly round head with wrinkled leaves. Because savoy cabbage is so tender, it requires much less cooking than other cabbage varieties. How […] More
Mâche–also called corn salad and lamb’s lettuce–is a mild-flavored salad green. Mâche (say ‘mah-sh’) can also be steamed and served as a vegetable. Mâche has a sweet, slightly nutty taste. Its flavor is so subtle that it can easily be overpowered by other leafy vegetables or dressings. It is often served alone or as a counterpoint […] More
Sorrel has a lemony tang and succulent spinach texture that makes it a tasty fresh leafy-addition to mixed-green salads, sandwiches, soft cheeses, omelets, and other egg dishes. Cook sorrel with leek soups, cream-based sauces, stuffings, veal, and pork. Sorrel can be used as a potherb and is ideal to line the vessel for baking fish. […] More
Radicchio is a sharp-tasting cool-weather salad green that can be simply dressed with vinaigrette. It also can add a spicy note to mixed green salads dominated by milder salad greens. Radicchio is a type of leaf chicory that resembles a small redhead of lettuce or cabbage. Radicchios can range in size from a large radish […] More
Stephen Albert