by Lynn Greene
Tender spring greens
Easing into more robust tastes
Spring greens are inviting right now — tender, colorful
and gentle in taste. They help to ease us into the more
robust tastes of summer, which include the kales and
cabbages.
It’s easy to pick up a bag of prewashed and cleaned
greens, but when you find out how easy they are to grow,
you just might become a gardener without even trying.
Take a look at the price you’re paying for that fancy
bag and you’ll receive an extra dose of incentive for
growing your own.
Start by adding a packet of mixed greens to your window
boxes — lettuce comes up fast and you’ll have time to
harvest it a couple of times before your ornamental plantings
thicken up and push them out of the way. Potting up a
patio container of greens is another easy way to have
a salad at your fingertips.
No store can possibly carry every variety you can easily
plant. And, lettuces make a pretty border that will be
gone (and eaten) by the time those impatience and petunias
climb over the edges of the garden.
If you enjoy indulging your wild side, try picking greens
for free. Consider nettles (stinging nettles lose their
sting when cooked like spinach), chickweed, dandelions,
lamb’s quarters (also called wild spinach) shepherd’s
purse and watercress, to name just a few. I can find
all of these in my own backyard, so they are certainly
plentiful.
For seed-package mixes, try a mild mesclun mix for a
complete salad from a single package. You’ll find a variety
of color, textures and a mild taste. Spinach is very
mild-tasting when picked before the heat hits or before
it goes to seed. Other favorite greens include arugula,
leaf lettuce, bibb, buttercrunch, butterhead and oakleaf
(available in red, curly and standard).
For hearty greens that hold up to steaming or stir-frying,
try Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, broccoli
rabe, collard greens and kale.
All greens are cool-weather crops, meaning they grow
better and taste better with cooler temperatures. Even
dandelions taste better when the temperature is cool;
turn up the heat and they get bitter.
If you’re picking roadside, never eat greens that have
been sprayed with insecticides.
Spinach salad
Serves 2 or more
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
2 Tbsps. sunflower seeds
2 Tbsps. blanched slivered almonds
2 Tbsps. blue cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsps. unreconstituted frozen cranberry juice
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsps. oil and vinegar dressing, any brand or mix your
own
In a large bowl toss together the spinach, strawberries,
sunflower seeds, almonds and blue cheese. In a small
bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Drizzle the
dressing over the salad, toss and serve.
Spring greens salad
— Figure about 2 cups of greens per person.
Mixed greens (mesclun, bibb, watercress, baby arugula,
dandelion, baby lettuces, sprouts and shoots,
Chopped chives
Chopped scallions or green onions
Kosher salt
Black pepper, fresh ground
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Wash and dry greens, place in a large bowl. Add chives
and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the salad with
olive oil and lemon juice to coat lightly.
Spring fling salad
Serves 4
1 quart mixed spring greens, washed and dried
1 lb. asparagus, lightly steamed
4 oz. Enocki mushrooms
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup frozen, unreconstituted orange juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Clean asparagus, removing tough ends. Cut into 1-inch
pieces and place in bowl with a bit of water and microwave
for just 1 minute or until slightly tender.
In large bowl, toss together greens, asparagus, mushrooms,
onions and dill.
In small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients,
pour over salad; toss well to coat and serve immediately.
Stir fry greens
Serves 2-4
2 quarts greens, washed, cut roughly into 2-inch pieces
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
4 Tbsps. olive oil
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt, optional
2 Roma or plum tomatoes
Wash greens and roughly cut into pieces. Drain, but
do not dry, since the water clinging to the greens will
help them to cook.
Add olive oil and garlic to large pot or wok. Heat pan
until medium-hot and garlic sizzles. Add greens to wok
or skillet and saute for about 2 minutes or until wilted.
Lower heat, add remaining ingredients, toss and serve.
— Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Stateline News. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com. |
