Dark Leafy Greens and how to get more of them

[scott123]

On 9/3/2023 at 10:38 AM, chromedome said:

To be clear, I'm in the pro-liver camp but have never had natto. I'm sure it packs a ton of umami, but "lumpy snot" is not a texture that in any way appeals to me.

 

The strands that pull away from each other are a lot like hot melted cheese strands.  And the taste is extremely miso adjacent- like an unsalted miso. Bottom line, it's beans.  Not everyone loves beans, obviously, but, in forum like this, it's a pretty safe bet to assume that the OP likes beans.

 

At the end of the day, and no offense to folks who love natto, my recommendation isn't about going from inedible (kale) to delicious.  It's a lesser evil.  It's exponentially better nutrition with considerably less gustatory pain.

Edited September 4, 2023 by scott123 (log)

[liuzhou]

17 minutes ago, scott123 said:

in forum like this, it's a pretty safe bet to assume that the OP likes beans.

 

I'm not sure you come to that conclusion. There are a number of vocal bean haters and bean agnostics here.

Edited September 4, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[Duvel]

1 hour ago, scott123 said:

inedible (kale)

It is a common misconception that kale is inedible … when you feel that way, you haven’t simply cooked it long enough - its just undercoked. Kale needs to be boiled into submission with an equal share (by weight) of cured pork products for at least two hours. Kindly follow the procedure here (and keep the natto for next days breakfast) …

[ElsieD]

17 minutes ago, Duvel said:

It is a common misconception that kale is inedible … when you feel that way, you haven’t simply cooked it long enough - its just undercoked. Kale needs to be boiled into submission with an equal share (by weight) of cured pork products for at least two hours. Kindly follow the procedure here (and keep the natto for next days breakfast) …

My mother used to make stampot with kale.  Delicious.

[patris]

Here's a spinach pie I've been making for years - I serve it with a sauce made with greek yogurt, crushed dried mint, salt and pepper (all to taste):

 

Mix together and season to your liking (salt, pepper, garlic powder, any favorite seasonings):

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed as dry as you can get it

1 onion, diced and caramelized (size of onion dependent on how much onion you like)

4-6 oz. feta, crumbled - measure with your heart

2 eggs

 

Bake in well greased pie plate at 375 for about 35 minutes - the edges will get a bit brown and it will feel firm. It's great hot, warm, room temp, reheated, whatever.

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by patris
not sure mint flakes are a thing (log)

[KennethT]

On 9/2/2023 at 8:11 PM, Katie Meadow said:

No restaurant gai lan that I'm aspiring too. I love that dish with garlic and sauce, but often it isn't as good as I want it to be. Okay what else is new. Recipes vary as to whether to par-boil the gai lan or not, whether to peel the stems, etc. I just need to source some fresh vegetable with a lot of leaves and start experimenting. I would be happy with just that on rice.

I make gai lan all the time.  No par boiling required.  I do it with a couple of different sauces - either a Thai style or a regular Chinese-ish style.  All of them have in common the fact that it's best to remove the leaves from the stalks.  The leaves get kind of leathery when cooked for more than a few seconds, while the stems need a bit more time.  I slice the stems on the bias about 1/4" thick or so.  Large leaves I'll cut in half and leave in a pile.

 

I always cook it with garlic - maybe 3-4 cloves?  I'll start stir frying the sliced stalks and chopped garlic using medium heat.  Once the stalks are mostly done ( you can watch the cross section to check progress) I'll dump the leaves on top, crank up the heat and throw on the sauce.  Toss around till the leaves are mostly wilted (they'll continue on the plate) and the sauce is reduced.

 

Sauce A) 1/4C water, 1/2 t salt, 1/3t MSG, 1/2t sugar, 2/3t chicken powder (mine isn't very salty).

Sauce B) 2T soy sauce, 1T oyster sauce, 1/2T Golden Mountain sauce, 1T fish sauce, 1/2t sugar and maybe a dash of water

 

I'll add some chopped Thai chilli to the garlic if using Sauce B.

[TdeV]

Well, Katie, I think more dark, leafy greens are needed in my/our diet, so thanks for this topic!

[Katie Meadow]

6 hours ago, KennethT said:

I make gai lan all the time.  No par boiling required.  I do it with a couple of different sauces - either a Thai style or a regular Chinese-ish style.  All of them have in common the fact that it's best to remove the leaves from the stalks.  The leaves get kind of leathery when cooked for more than a few seconds, while the stems need a bit more time.  I slice the stems on the bias about 1/4" thick or so.  Large leaves I'll cut in half and leave in a pile.

 

I always cook it with garlic - maybe 3-4 cloves?  I'll start stir frying the sliced stalks and chopped garlic using medium heat.  Once the stalks are mostly done ( you can watch the cross section to check progress) I'll dump the leaves on top, crank up the heat and throw on the sauce.  Toss around till the leaves are mostly wilted (they'll continue on the plate) and the sauce is reduced.

 

Sauce A) 1/4C water, 1/2 t salt, 1/3t MSG, 1/2t sugar, 2/3t chicken powder (mine isn't very salty).

Sauce B) 2T soy sauce, 1T oyster sauce, 1/2T Golden Mountain sauce, 1T fish sauce, 1/2t sugar and maybe a dash of water

 

I'll add some chopped Thai chilli to the garlic if using Sauce B.

Sounds very promising. Happy not to par-boil anything. Doesn't the garlic get burnt during the time it takes for the stalks to cook? For most of my stir-fries I start by making a a spicy oil with garlic, ginger and a couple of small dried chiles in the wok. I take the solids out when they start to get golden and use the oil to cook all ingredients. Then maybe add some additional minced garlic with the leaves? Then throw in the sauce, cover to steam a minute? Gai lan is on the next shopping list. 

 

Oh, what is Golden Mountain sauce?

[heidih]

1 minute ago, Katie Meadow said:

Oh, what is Golden Mountain sauce?

Very similar to Maggi - sure @KennethT will clarify

[KennethT]

8 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Sounds very promising. Happy not to par-boil anything. Doesn't the garlic get burnt during the time it takes for the stalks to cook? For most of my stir-fries I start by making a a spicy oil with garlic, ginger and a couple of small dried chiles in the wok. I take the solids out when they start to get golden and use the oil to cook all ingredients. Then maybe add some additional minced garlic with the leaves? Then throw in the sauce, cover to steam a minute? Gai lan is on the next shopping list. 

 

Oh, what is Golden Mountain sauce?

No, the garlic doesn't get burnt - since the stalks are thin, they don't need much time, plus I don't use very high heat in the beginning.

 

@heidih is correct - Golden Mountain sauce is like a Thai version of Maggi.  It's like liquid umami.

[TicTac]

Carrot tops in a pesto - very good for eyes.

 

Zucchini leaves - great nutty flavour.

 

Beet greens - I added all the leaves and stems to my last batch of borscht which turned out awesome.

 

The list goes on, but good ideas in here for sure.

 

 

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

I should have added this earlier.

Colcannon made with long braised kale, optional bacon, and onions.

I would go with a 1 part braised kale to 2 parts mash with butter, salt and pepper to taste.

 

[C. sapidus]

Folks already suggested two of my favorites: spanakopita (in phyllo or otherwise); and palak paneer. There is also a keema with lots of spinach if you like that sort of thing (I do).

 

Another option is Thai meat or seafood salads (larb, crying tiger, etc. etc.), often with a dressing of lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar (hey, vitamin C couldn't hurt). These are particularly good in hot weather - I could happily eat Thai salads all summer.

[Katie Meadow]

28 minutes ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

I should have added this earlier.

Colcannon made with long braised kale, optional bacon, and onions.

I would go with a 1Li part braised kale to 2 parts mash with butter, salt and pepper to taste.

 

Just looked up colcannon. Little did I know that I've made a version of it over the years. Basically mashed potatoes with sautéed chard swirled into it. I've also made potato-chard cakes, using pretty much the same mixture only adding egg and a little flour. Honestly I have no idea what it will take to get me to purchase kale over chard. My only experience with adult curly kale is when people bring a kale salad to a potluck. Raw kale seems like goat food to me.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

3 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

Just looked up colcannon. Little did I know that I've made a version of it over the years. Basically mashed potatoes with sautéed chard swirled into it. I've also made potato-chard cakes, using pretty much the same mixture only adding egg and a little flour. Honestly I have no idea what it will take to get me to purchase kale over chard. My only experience with adult curly kale is when people bring a kale salad to a potluck. Raw kale seems like goat food to me.

 

If you prefer chard have it with chard. You're the one eating it. I've made it with collards, kale, spinach and arugula and a slew of mixed greens from the garden. Growing up my mother always make it with cabbage.

 

 

[liuzhou]

2 hours ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

 

Colcannon

 

 

 

Champ made with nettle tops is good, too.

[Senior Sea Kayaker]

14 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

Champ made with nettle tops is good, too.

Never tried nettles although they can be foraged locally.

 

[Katie Meadow]

4 hours ago, Senior Sea Kayaker said:

Never tried nettles although they can be foraged locally.

 

Nettles on pizza is fabulous. I've never made it myself, but I do know there's some prep involved to take the sting out.

[haresfur]

3 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:

Nettles on pizza is fabulous. I've never made it myself, but I do know there's some prep involved to take the sting out.

 

One respected gardening show in Australia said the small tender nettles best for eating don't sting. So the recommendation was to throw away any that sting your fingers when harvesting. Doesn't sound like a fun plan to me. 

[liuzhou]

Soaking young nettles removes the stinging chemicals, as does cooking. To my palate, they taste much like young spinach. Once the nettles flower, the stinging chemicals can only be eliminated by using acid in the cooking process. Most people only eat the young ones, I think.

Edited September 7, 2023 by liuzhou (log)

[Katie Meadow]

Tomorrow night my plan is to make malfatti with brown butter sauce; you know, it's those little logs composed mainly of spinach or chard and ricotta cheese. The ones at my Italian restaurant down the street are so rich I can barely eat them, but they are delicious. I've never made them before, so if anyone has tips or a recipe they love, by all means send them. Thanks!

[C. sapidus]

Braised Brussels sprouts with cream is pretty delicious.

 

That's what we are having tonight.

[heidih]

13 minutes ago, C. sapidus said:

Braised Brussels sprouts with cream is pretty delicious.

 

That's what we are having tonight.

Somebody here - gone now I think, posted a recipe of br sporouts baked with=cream that I was addicted to for some time Thanks for the reminder.

[SLB]

On 9/4/2023 at 3:41 PM, Duvel said:

Kale needs to be boiled into submission with an equal share (by weight) of cured pork products for at least two hours.

 

@Duvel, I hope this will land in the non-molestive spirit in which it is launched:  I love you, a lot.  

 

On topic -- some great ideas here!  I'm supposed to eat a lot of leafy greens, too.  When tired, which is often, I fry (I mean, sautee) almost any of 'em in a tasty fat with onions and garlic and chili.  Shovel.  The dregs are repurposed into the weekly frittata.  If the green is kinda yucky -- like radish greens -- I add more garlic, and shovel faster.

Edited September 17, 2023 by SLB (log)

[heidih]

I orgot to mention the ever adaptable "green soup". Sometimes I am seduced by too many lovely greens and don't want them to go limp and lose their oomph. Liike the link but no rice, sometimes bit o potato. The salt element chicken powder.. Rather than lemon juice I stir in some plain yogurt. I welcome this at B, L or D. With a cheese toastie - I'm happy.  https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/250333/basic-green-soup/

keyboard still being a pain...