Greened Out

For the first time in nearly 13 years I heard my husband say, "I think I have had enough greens this week." He's the sort of guy who loves to eat fresh vegetables, especially the green ones. And when he eats foods high in saturated fats (which is rare for him), he claims he can feel the fat in his veins. If only I had this sixth sense. So I am amused to hear him proclaiming satiation when it comes to the leafy greens. Today is our CSA pick-up day. I wonder if we will have another box full of kale, collards, kohlrabi and chard. The Chattanooga Market has a theme each week, and today happens to be the "Chattanooga Green Festival," so it would be ironic if we suddenly had a shortage of those nutrient rich, blood-cleansing large green leaves in our box. All right, then. Let's muster some courage and creativity, and explore some more ways to cook and enjoy those lovely brassicas. Here are some ideas that I might try this week:

Just yesterday a friend was bragging about his dinner: Pizza with caramelized onions & chard. His wife was hailed as a food genius. Agreed. She has many gifts in this world, including her ability to feed her family well, but I want the recipe. Turns out it's on the NY Times food blog: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/health/nutrition/29recipehealth.html?_r=1&ref=chard

Also on NY Times, a yummy Tunisian stew using fennel & Chard: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/health/nutrition/09recipehealth.html?ref=chard

Move over popcorn, here come Kale Chips for a snack! http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/baked-kale-chips/

And if I get lazy, I can always sautee the greens with garlic, oil, and whatever vinegar, spices, or sauces take my fancy.

Chicken With Fennel, Herbs & Bok Choi In Tomato Broth

1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken

Canola oil

3 cloves fresh garlic, crushed or minced

1 sprig each of fresh rosemary, thyme & oregano, leaves finely chopped

5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 young bulb of fennel, thinly sliced

1-2 heads of baby bok choi, coarsely chopped

1 can whole tomatoes (15 oz)

About 2 cups of chicken broth

Salt & pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place chicken, a few tablespoons of canola oil, garlic, herbs, green onion, and fennel in a bowl. Stir well and tenderize the chicken with a fork, allowing the flavors to penetrate the chicken. Meanwhile, heat a large, thick-bottomed skillet on medium-high heat. When it is good and hot, place the chicken, plus herbs & fennel in the pan and sear the chicken on both sides. Let cook until the ingredients brown and begin to stick on the bottom. Add the bok choi and cook a minute longer. Add the tomatoes one at a time, crushing with your hands to break them up and release the juice. Stir well and cook another couple of minutes. Add the chicken broth and season to taste with the salt & pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Serve over rice or pasta in a bowl and garnish with sliced green onion, fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.

Oven Roasted Kohlrabi

This is one of my favorite vegetables. It can be eaten many ways, but I love it most when it's roasted in the oven until crispy and tender. It's nice as a side vegetable, but roasted Kohlrabi can also be added to salads, soups or pasta dishes.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

First, remove the leaves and stems. See "Leafy Greens 101" for cooking the leaves. Next, peel the bulb and cut into wedges or large cubes. The young tender ones don't have to be peeled, but the larger bulbs can have a woody or fibrous peel, so I tend to remove them before roasting. Place the wedges in a glass oven-proof baking dish. Drizzle olive or canola oil over the kohlrabi and toss to coat well. Season with coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for about an hour, or until the tips begin to turn dark brown. Serve hot.

How to Cook Your CSA: Leafy Greens 101

This is the first installment of recipes featuring vegetables from our weekly farm share from Signal Mountain Farm (http://signalmountainfarm.com/). Having a CSA share is a fantastic value for people who like to cook and eat fresh vegetables. Nonetheless, many are sometimes hesitant to commit to a relationship with a farm that might involve weeks of cooking large quantities of broad leafy greens, or receiving vegetables that may be unfamiliar. A common question is, "What do I do with Kohlrabi, fennel and eggplant?" So for the next several months, I will be posting the favorites enjoyed by my family and friends.

This week and last we have received an abundance of gorgeous greens such as kale, collards, chard, bok choi. The kohlrabi has also arrived with leaves attached, so we have had plenty of some of the worlds most nutrient rich foods. For greens, we usually wash, remove the thick stems, and then roll the leaves into a "log" and slice thinly across the log. We like them sort of crunchy so my preference is to sautee the greens in a little oil, then flavor with salt and balsamic vinegar once they turn bright green and are wilted and tender. For a more complex flavor, you can try the following recipe with any of the leafy greens:

Beer Braised Greens With Ginger

1-2 Bunches of broad leafy greens like kale or collards, stems removed and sliced thinly

Canola oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed or minced

1 Tbs fresh ginger root, peeled & minced

Worcestershire sauce

Marmite or soy sauce

1 dark amber beer or ale like Highland Gaelic Ale

Salt & pepper to taste

Heat a little oil in a large skillet and add greens and garlic. Sautee until they wilt and turn bright green. Add a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, a teaspoon of Marmite (or a dash or two of soy sauce). Stir in well and cook until the greens begin to brown a little. Add the ginger root and one half of the ale. Stir, and simmer a few minutes more, or until they reach your desired tenderness. ( The other half of the beer is for drinking while you wait for the greens to cook.) Salt and pepper to taste & serve.