With the world in such a stir today, the more I can simplify my life, the better I’ll feel. Grocery prices are soaring as are restaurant prices so I’ve made a promise to myself to grow some of my family’s produce. I don’t want to complicate my life by having to manage a large vegetable garden. But many vegetables are easy to grow and can even be grown in a pot on the porch.
One of the keys to success is to grow in season. Unless you have perfect conditions, it won’t be possible to grow spinach, snow peas or bok choi in the middle of a hot summer. They are spring and fall vegetables. But you can grow kale, Swiss chard and many other Asian greens all summer.
Swiss Chard
And planting every few weeks will keep the produce coming. Bush beans grow beautifully in a pot, and planting every two or three weeks will keep them producing all summer.
Afraid that tomatoes need a lot of care – trellising, spraying, etc? There are new varieties of smaller tomato plants with “potato” type leaves that are compact and inherently quite disease-resistant. You can pick a warm, just ripened tomato from a pot on your porch.
It seems every garden store has plenty of onion sets, and planting a few every two weeks will give you scallions all summer long. Plant them in a pot with radishes and you have an instant salad.
Scallions
An herb garden of dill, arugula and cilantro will grow spectacularly in a pot. Add some basil and use them for pesto (what could be simpler and tastier than hot pasta tossed with pesto and fresh tomatoes?).
Classic Pesto
3 cloves garlic 2 c. fresh basil leaves ¼ c. nuts 1 ½ t. salt ¼ t. pepper ½ cup olive oil 3 oz. Parmesan
Combine all ingredients except oil and cheese in blender or processor. Add half the oil. Process while adding other half the oil. Stir in cheese as you serve.
Kale or Swiss Chard Pesto for the freezer
3 T. toasted pecans, walnuts or pine nuts (toasting gives them a fabulous flavor that raw nuts don’t have) 7 c. greens, stems removed ¼ chopped fresh basil 2 T. lemon juice ½ t. salt ¼ t. pepper 2 garlic cloves, minced (or substitute ½ cup chopped garlic scapes) 2 T. water 1 T. olive oil ¼ c. Parmesan cheese
Place ingredients through garlic in food processor – process until smooth. Slowly pour water and oil through chute with processor on until well blended. Add cheese when serving.
I’ll admit that as much as I love to cook, there are plenty of times when I’m just too exhausted to spend the energy to figure out what to cook, find a recipe and gather ingredients. But I have to eat.
I hope to provide simple recipes that avoid the tyranny of long lists of ingredients and extended prep times. Nothing is more discouraging than looking at a tasty recipe and realizing that it has 23 ingredients, many of which you’ll need to go out and buy. Five ingredients make a much less daunting proposal.
You may be an expert cook who is comfortable in the kitchen and can improvise on most recipes. But most of us are novices in some way, so my recipes are basic, with only a few ingredients. Then you can add whatever you have on hand.
Here are a few suggestions for quick meals that are as simple as possible.
–Saute whatever vegetables you have in the fridge (even lettuce) and toss into scrambled eggs with cottage cheese. My faves are shredded cabbage and leftover mashed potatoes.
–Toss chopped vegetables (tomatoes, broccoli, garlic, onions, carrots, zucchini…) with olive oil and roast in a 375 oven until tender and a bit caramelized. Season to taste (garlic powder, Italian seasoning, harissa, etc.). Add to hot pasta with parmesan.
–Open a can of black or pinto beans and add to a medium saucepan (with some of the bean liquid). Season to taste with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and heat gently. Mash the beans and spread on tortilla chips, sprinkle with grated cheese and broil until the cheese melts. Instant nachos with extra protein. Serve with salsa, chopped tomatoes, lettuce and whatever else sounds good.
–Green beans – as soon as you get home from the market, top and tail them and cook for 5 minutes in boiling salted water. Then, when you want to eat them for dinner, blister them with minced garlic by sauteeing them in a hot pan filmed with olive oil – only 5 minutes. Serve as a side or add to cooked rice for a main dish.
–Chopped salad – make a base of finely chopped vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, sweet peppers, carrot – any vegetables that will hold up for a few days. Don’t dress until ready to eat. Add ephemeral vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes at the last minute to keep them fresh.
–Cabbage – keeps a long time so keep one on hand and you have an instant salad by slicing it thinly and dressing it with a vinaigrette.
–Carrots – also keep a long time and are delicious for snacking or lightly steamed or roasted. Mix with cooked rice for a delicious side dish.
–Fast noodles – keep ramen on hand and cook according to the package (without the flavor packet). They take about 3 minutes. Add absolutely anything to them for an instant meal. Roasted vegetables, leftover protein of any kind, cheese, scrambled egg. You can dress them with miso, soy or hoisin sauce for an Asian take. Add shredded carrots, chopped celery and shredded bok choy.
I was driving in a nearby neighborhood the other day, minding my own business, when an unusual sight caught my eye. In front of a typical suburban house was a sidewalk edged with a beautiful hedge of ruby chard.
There was no vegetable garden in sight. Behind the chard, a single tomato plant occupied the front flower bed, surrounded by a little basil and some marigolds. The chard was a beautiful accent to the house.
There is no reason why the summer kitchen cannot always be overflowing with greens. Once spinach and Chinese cabbage are finished in spring and the heat of summer begins to weigh on the garden, it’s time for the stalwart summer greens! Swiss chard is a humble vegetable, but one that has an unbelievable array of culinary possibilities. Also called silverbeet or seakale beet, it is technically a beet bred for its greens. It is simple to grow and monstrously productive.
Chard
I have grown all types of chard, including the remarkable multicolored varieties, but I tend to fall back on Fordhook Giant, a green type that is always reliable and prolific. It produces large, tender white stalks that are as tasty as the huge, deep green leaves.
Kale
The word kale often brings to mind an image of the purple and lime green frilly balls of ornamental kale in fall containers or the plastic-like bushes used as garnishes on restaurant plates. But culinary kale is a different vegetable entirely. There is an infinite number of choices, from smooth to crinkly to ‘Red Russian’ that turns purple-red in cold weather. Compared to kale purchased in the grocery store, homegrown kale is considerably more tender and succulent as well as sweeter than the types grown commercially.
Kale is also remarkably easy to grow. It’s closely related to cabbage, and the leaves have a faint cabbage-like flavor. But long after spring cabbages have begun to turn fiery and tough in summer, kale keeps providing sweet, tender greens for the table. It produces well into fall, actually being sweetened by frost. It’s not unheard of to still be harvesting kale after Thanksgiving.
Mustard
Mustard greens will add piquancy to any salad or dish, with a zingy vinegary essence. The broad-leafed types are best for summer use, as they grow large and luxurious without getting stringy and tough. If allowed to go to seed, the mustard plant is useful in all forms. The seed stalks are tasty sautéed, and the seeds make the familiar tangy seasoning for hot dogs or pickles.
Collards
Collards, another sizable green, are grown frequently in the South – and for good reason. They remain tender and tasty throughout the summer and are slow to bolt in spite of heat and drought. They have a more cabbage-like flavor than mustard greens, but a little taste of collards seasoned with garlic and complemented with prosciutto will make you wonder why you didn’t start growing collards years ago.
Once you are hooked on greens, there is a wealth of other summer treats to try, from amaranth to Chinese kale to komatsuna (also called spinach mustard) to mizuna. Asian greens of all types are becoming more popular and thus easier to find. Check out your local farmers market to try a few and plan to use them in your own garden next year!
Just how do I use these lovely greens?
Dark leafy greens pack an unbelievable vitamin wallop, to say nothing about their cancer-fighting phytochemicals. In addition to eating greens for themselves, try adding them to omelets, fresh or marinated salads, soups and savory breads.
Sauteed greens with orzo
Pasta alfredo with Swiss chard
1 lb. Swiss chard
8 oz uncooked pasta such as penne or farfalle
1 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
3/4 c. ricotta
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Remove stems and chop chard. Set aside. Cook pasta and drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Sauté garlic 30 seconds in oil, add chard and sauté 3 minutes or until wilted. Combine cooking liquid, ricotta, 2 T. Parmesan and stir well. Combine with chard mixture and toss well. Top with remaining Parmesan. Serves 4.
Greens are simple things. In a world of chaotic schedules, hurried meals and gourmet foods, it’s pleasant to contemplate eating something as simple and wholesome as chard or kale. Besides, with the constant nattering about eating less fat and more vegetables, who can argue with getting a solid dose of cancer-fighting vitamins in something that tastes so good?
I wasn’t always a greens aficionado. I hail from the South where the preferred method of cooking the common greens, collards and turnips, is to boil them until they turn gray and then flavor them with bacon drippings. As a child, the last thing I was willing to put in my mouth was a pile of slimy, gray-green glop. At least my mother always provided a bottle of hot sauce to liberally sprinkle on top to disguise the flavor ( I discovered long after I became an adult that she didn’t like the gray-green glop either.)
I suppose greens were literally cooked to death because we had the notion that vegetables should be soft to be palatable. The recent culinary trend of steaming or sauteing vegetables until just slightly crunchy is the best thing that has happened to greens, not only for taste but also for nutritional value.
I’ve matured, at least according to rumor, and since I no longer have to eat greens, I’ve discovered how much I enjoy them. It took a while to get past the specter of the sodden mass, but I’ve learned to cook them well, which makes a world of difference.
My favorite way of preparing greens is to gently sauté the tender, sweet inner leaves with onion, garlic, lots of pepper, fresh tomatoes and top it all with romano cheese. I also manage to get my family to eat greens of all sorts by putting them in things. I never make a soup or stew without chard or kale, and I add finely chopped turnip, beet or mustard greens to potato pancakes, rice pilaf, omelets and pasta.
One reason these basic, almost mundane, vegetables appeal to me is that they are carefree growers. You sow some seeds, sometimes right on the snow in early spring, and the plants grow. They take little care except thinning early on and then harvesting. I like that in a plant.
Some vegetables, like beets, turnips and mustard, give you delectable greens while the rest of the plant is busy developing other edible parts. With a little caution to not harvest too many greens at once, you can start using beet, turnip and mustard greens as soon as they are big enough to provide a bowlful.
Late last summer I planted Italian kale, a variety called ‘Lacinato,’ which grows to about two and a half feet tall. Even after fall took most of the garden down, the plants were still standing stalwart in December, with their matte blue-green leaves offering themselves to be plucked to cook up “a mess of greens”.
I’m a great fan of dual-purpose plants, and these kale plants were as beautiful as any of the perennials. This year I’m growing ‘Red Russian’ which has stems and veins that turn purple-red in cold weather and blue kale with dusty blue leaves. I’ve planted it with Bright Lights Swiss chard, which produces beautiful leaves on stems of purple, yellow, pink, red and white. What more could you want for color in the garden?
Saucy Greens for Two
1 small bunch of Swiss chard or other greens
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ c. onion, sliced
1 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c. chopped tomatoes
2 T. sour cream or plain yogurt
1 T. Sriracha sauce if desired
2 large eggs if desired
Rinse the greens liberally and remove tough stems. Stack the leaves and roll them into a “cigar” and slice thinly. Add garlic and onion to olive oil in a heavy pan and saute until tender. Fry eggs in a separate pan if you intend to use them. Add greens, vinegar and sugar and saute for about 5 minutes until greens are tender. Turn off the heat and stir in tomatoes and sour cream or yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste.
I just had a note from my sister commenting on the burden of having all those leftovers in the fridge after Thanksgiving. We were brought up by a mother who would never let any food go to waste so guilt is definitely in our DNA.
And we’re coming up again on the Christmas holidays with their overabundance of food and myriad leftovers. Mind you I love leftovers, but I, like so many, am tired of trying to put them into edible dishes that are different but tasty. So, the turkey’s in the freezer for soup in three months, guiltily I ate some of the last of the mashed potatoes instead of putting them in potato cakes. And, yes, I composted the rest.
Broccoli and broccoli rabe
I am ready for clean eating again. Like a palate cleanse after a heavy meal. I want salad. Not fresh tomato salad from the garden because that’s only a disappointment with grocery store tomatoes. But a salad of massaged kale (sorry, Robin Lester), bok choi, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.
Cauliflowers
A friend brought a brussels sprout salad for our Friendsgiving, and it was simply refreshing. I absconded with the leftover salad, had it for breakfast the next morning, and have done my best to duplicate it here. I will give a nod to Vivian Howard of A Chef’s Life, because I think this is where the original recipe came from. But I’ve duplicated it from memory and added a few riffs to it.
Radishes
Feel free to add whatever you have in the fridge – massaged kale, chopped broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, beets or even roasted sweet potatoes. Don’t leave out the apples, though, because they add a delightful sweet burst. My friend’s salad was dressed with a bleu cheese vinaigrette, but you can dress it however it suits you.
2 cups slivered Brussels sprouts
1 cup chopped apples (finely chopped)
½ c. toasted walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
½ c. slivered sweet onion
¼ c. crumbled feta cheese
Mix and chill. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette.
I don’t know how you are feeling these days, but I’m kind of overwhelmed by the rich foods and desserts from the Thanksgiving holidays. And I know the season of holiday savories and sweets will continue. I love these foods but sometimes my palate need something cleansing. At the risk of repeating myself, I’m going to wax philosophically about massaged kale salad.
Kale Salad
Kale is in its prime right now and I bought a large bunch at the outdoor market last week. I blanched half of it to keep in the refrigerator to toss into soups and my favorite, stir-fried rice and black beans. I chopped the other half into small pieces and massaged it into a large salad I can dip into when I need the taste of something crisp and clean.
I like to massage the kale because it breaks down the tough fibers, making it so much more palatable than simply chopped raw kale. Mature kale leaves are pretty woody and this method takes away not only the fibrous texture but also some of the bitterness. I do take out the ribs and toss them in my bag of veggies for stock. Baby kale doesn’t have the woodiness so is preferable if you use it without massaging.
Kabocha winter squash
My favorite companion to massaged kale salad is roasted kabocha squash drizzled with chile-garlic oil. Kobochas used to be hard to find, but they are becoming popular with growers. Their small size makes them easy to use, and the buttery bright orange flesh is delicious by itself or in many different dishes. They are usually only about two pounds and come with green, gray-green or orange rinds. Many grocery stores are even carrying them now.
My favorite way to cook kabocha is to slice in half-inch-thick slices and then peel the slices. I toss them with olive oil in a roasting pan and roast at 375 for about 20-30 minutes, until quite soft. For the last 10 minutes, I drizzle with sambal oelek (garlic chile oil – found in the Asian aisle at the grocery) or sriracha for a hint of sweetness. This caramelizes the squash beautifully, blends nicely with the buttery squash flavor, and gives my taste buds a spicy kick. The squash needs absolutely nothing else but a sprinkling of salt to give you melt-in-your-mouth savory goodness.
Massaged Kale Salad
One large bunch kale (laciniato preferred, but any kind will work)
1 t. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
Juice of one half a lemon
Parmesan cheese to garnish
Remove the ribs from the kale. This can be done by grasping the end of the rib and stripping off the leaves. Discard the ribs. Roll the leaves into a “cigar” and slice into ribbons.
In a large bowl, douse the kale with the olive oil, add the garlic and salt and begin to massage or crush the kale with your hands. This can only be done well with the hands, so get into it and enjoy it. Your hands will thank you for the olive oil massage.
Once the kale is dark green and reduced considerably in bulk, squeeze the lemon juice over it. Adjust the salt, add pepper if you desire, and garnish with plenty of freshly grated parmesan cheese. You will find this irresistible!
Chopped salad base with beets, green beans, walnuts and goat cheese
We all have to eat. And the higher the quality of food we put in our bodies, the better we will feel. In response to our very busy lives, meal subscription services have taken off in popularity. Despite the criticisms that they are expensive, have too much packaging, and don’t quite give you the choices you’d like, they are still a great way to get reasonably healthy meals without the planning. Grocery stores are beginning to carry instant, complete meals as well, both cooked and ready to cook.
Make your own instant meals
But, instead of paying high prices for ready-to-cook meals, how about making your own. They will be fresher and certainly taste better. It just takes planning, and even if you don’t consider yourself a cook, you can learn to prepare fresh wholesome meals without a lot of prep time or a lengthy list of ingredients. Cooking can become an interesting part of your life instead of a chore.
Planning is key but keep it simple
Planning is always the hardest part, but if you get in the habit of going to the market once or even twice a week, whether farmers market or grocery, it’s not so hard. Simply purchase whatever vegetables look freshest for the week. Or grow your own. Maybe you take a day on the weekend and prep everything. And most of all, keep it simple. Save the elaborate meals for when you have time on the weekend to spend more time in the kitchen.
Pantry basics
First, make sure to stock your pantry with basics so you don’t have to purchase herbs, spices and seasonings every week. Here are some staples to start with:
Good quality olive oil
Balsamic and cider vinegar, rice vinegar and mirin if you like to cook Asian
Sea salt
Black pepper for grinding
Onions
Maple syrup – try to find grade B. Deeper flavor, less expensive
Fresh garlic
Grains: rice, quinoa, other grains you love
Pastas: couscous, orzo
Broth – chicken, vegetable, beef, bone
Canned beans of your choice – garbanzos, pintos, black, navy
Seasonings on hand
Seasonings: chili powder, cumin, dried basil, smoked paprika, garlic powder
Perishables
For perishables, keep basics on hand such as ricotta, plain yogurt, cheeses of your choice.
Chopped Salad
Broccoli, plentiful this time of year is a good start
Let’s get started with this chopped salad. Shop and prepare it on the weekend, and use it through the week for a quick healthy lunch or dinner side.
The key to this salad is to make the base of any vegetables that will hold up for a few days after being chopped.
1 c. finely chopped broccoli
1 c. finely chopped cauliflower
½ c. slivered brussels sprouts
½ c. chopped sweet peppers
½ c. grated carrot
Mix and put in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When ready to eat
Take out a half cup of the chopped salad and add onion, cucumber, nuts, dried fruits, seeds, cheese or any other ingredient that you have in the fridge. You can add cooked chicken, rice or even leftover pasta. Different ingredients can make it a totally new salad every day.
Dress with your favorite vinaigrette or creamy dressing. Or, simply brighten with a splash of lemon, lime or orange juice.
Chopped “salad” in stir-fry
Or, make a stir-fry
Even though the recipe is for a fresh salad, you can also stir-fry the mixture. Add protein of choice to make a complete meal.
Greens are simple things. In a world of chaotic schedules, hurried meals, and gourmet foods, it’s pleasant to eat something as simple to prepare and wholesome as Swiss chard or kale. Besides, with the constant nattering about eating less fat and more vegetables, who can argue with getting a solid dose of cancer-fighting vitamins in something that tastes so good?
I wasn’t always a greens aficionado. When I was a child in the South, the preferred method of cooking collards and turnip greens was to boil them until they turned gray and then flavor them with bacon drippings. The last thing I wanted to put in my mouth was a pile of what looked to a ten year old like slimy gray-green glop.
It took a while to get past the specter of the sodden mass, but I’ve matured, at least according to rumor, and since I no longer have to eat greens, I’ve discovered how much I enjoy them. Sautéing or steaming them just until done makes a world of difference in how they look and taste. I toss kale and chard into almost everything I eat, just for the vitamin boost.
Dual-purpose plants
Bright Lights chard
I’m also a huge fan of dual-purpose plants. Kale and Swiss chard leaves are as beautiful as any perennial flower and make wonderful accents for annual flowers as well. I was driving in a nearby neighborhood last summer, minding my own business, when in front of a typical suburban house was a sidewalk edged in a beautiful short hedge of rhubarb chard. Behind the chard, a single tomato plant occupied the front flower bed, surrounded with a little basil and some marigolds.
Beautiful additions to flower gardens
Winterbor kale
Dragon kale is a spectacular-looking plant with deep blue-green seersucker leaves, and scotch blue curled is a crinkled, beautiful dusty blue that is a perfect companion to pink and white flowers. Ruby chard has deep maroon leaves, and Bright Lights chard has stems in all shades of red, apricot, yellow, white and green. One of the most beautiful planters I’ve ever seen was a window box filled with chard and kale with sweet alyssum cascading over the edge. What more could you want from a flower garden?
Swiss Chard
There is no reason why the summer kitchen cannot always have greens. Once spinach and Chinese cabbage are finished in spring, and the heat of summer begins to weigh on the garden, it is time for the stalwart summer greens! Swiss chard is a humble vegetable, but one with an unbelievable array of culinary possibilities. Also called silverbeet or seakale beet, it is technically a beet (Beta vulgaris) that has been bred for its greens. It is simple to grow and monstrously productive.
Mustard
Mustard greens will add piquancy to any salad or dish, with a zingy vinegary essence. The broad-leafed types are best for summer use, as they grow large and luxurious without getting stringy and tough. If allowed to go to seed, the mustard plant is useful in all forms. The seed stalks are tasty sautéed, and the seeds make the familiar tangy seasoning for hot dogs or pickles.
Collards
Collards, another sizable green, are grown frequently in the South. And for good reason. They remain tender and tasty throughout the summer and are slow to bolt in spite of heat and drought. They have a more cabbage- like flavor than mustard greens, but a little taste of collards seasoned with garlic and complemented with prosciutto will make you wonder why you didn’t start growing collards years ago.
Once you are hooked on greens, there is a wealth of other summer treats to try, from turnip greens to amaranth to Chinese kale to komatsuna Check out your local farmers market to try a few and plan to use them in your own garden next year.
Cooking greens
Greens are delicious simply sautéed with garlic and olive oil. Toss with cooked pasta and top with fresh chopped tomatoes and a few gratings of parmesan and you have a delectable meal. Dark leafy greens pack an unbelievable vitamin wallop, to say nothing about their cancer-fighting phytochemicals. In addition to eating greens for themselves, try adding them to omelets, fresh or marinated salads, soups and savory breads.
Growing tips
Fall mustard greens
Other than their great looks, another reason these basic vegetables appeal to me is that they’re carefree to grow. Sow seeds from early spring (even right on top of the snow) to fall. The plants grow without much attention – except thinning early on (which you can eat) and then harvesting. I like that in a plant. Starting them under a cold frame will give them a great head start and sowing more seeds in September and then putting a cold frame over them will assure you the freshest of greens into the Christmas season.
All greens produce well if given ample nitrogen. Composted manure or manure tea is one of the best ways to do this because it is mild enough to be used every three or four weeks. Provide plenty of sun, moderately fertile soil and ample water. After the seeds germinate, be sure to thin adequately to give them plenty of room to spread. It may seem a waste to pull out so many tiny plants, but they are delicious additions to a salad.
Harvest the outer leaves first, before they get too tough, or you can simply cut off a head of all the leaves at one time. Eventually, new leaves will be produced from the crown.
Red Russian kale seedlings
Although you can grow most greens from transplants started indoors, they germinate readily in cool soil outdoors as well. Also, you can cut many of them to ground level in late fall and leave the crowns under about four inches of straw mulch through the winter. They will start producing tiny leaves in very early spring. Thus you get the pleasure of the tender greens early in the season, while your new seedlings are getting off to a good start.
Sauteed greens for two
Sauteed greens with tomatoes
5-6 large leaves of your choice of greens, chopped (remove stems if desired)
1 large clove of garlic, minced
5-6 scallions, chopped
2 T. fruity olive oil
1 c. chopped tomatoes
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 t. sugar
Heat olive oil and sauté garlic and scallions until soft, about five minutes. Add greens, tossing to coat in olive oil. Cover and let the greens steam about three minutes.
Toss with tomatoes, eason with salt and pepper to taste and top with fresh grated Romano cheese.
Pasta Alfredo with Swiss Chard
1 lb. Swiss chard (six-eight large leaves)
8 oz uncooked pasta such as penne or farfalle
1 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves minced
3/4 c. ricotta
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
Remove stems and chop chard. Set aside. Cook pasta and drain, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Sauté garlic 30 seconds in oil, add chard and sauté 3 minutes or until wilted. Combine cooking liquid, ricotta, 2 T. Parmesan and stir well. Combine with chard mixture and toss well. Top with remaining Parmesan. Serves 4.
With the spring coming on like crazy, I find myself constantly walking the garden to see shoots of edible things peeking through the mulch. I know it’s too early for asparagus, but the sorrel is beginning to show signs of life.
Leafy greens are earliest spring vegetables
Usually the first shoots we see are leafy greens. Many of them actually have chemical substances (mostly sugars) that act as antifreeze so they are perfectly at home in the coldest weather. They are the best plants to bracket the growing season with since they are so cold tolerant. They also make great cold frame crops.
Greens are simple things. In a world of chaotic schedules, hurried meals, and gourmet foods, it’s pleasant to eat something as simple to prepare and wholesome as Swiss chard or kale. Besides, with the constant nattering about eating less fat and more vegetables, who can argue with getting a solid dose of cancer-fighting vitamins in something that tastes so good?
Greens are easy to grow
Most are easy to grow, and only need moderately fertile well-drained soil and full to partial sun. I actually like to seed several types of greens in the fall so they will be up early and provide me with tasty meals when there’s not much else around that is so fresh. Some greens bolt quickly when the heat comes, so giving them a head start by planting in fall means I’ll have plenty of spinach, lettuce, mustard and Chinese cabbage in early spring.
Spinach in the cold frame
Spinach
Spinach is one of the first greens that comes to mind. Who doesn’t love spinach? You can start plants under a cold frame in fall, where they will start growing and then go into suspended animation for the winter. As the days lengthen, the small plants will take off. I actually have baby spinach for the table now.
Mustard greens
I always grow mustard greens. Red mustard is beautiful for ornament, and the frilly green mustards are absolutely delicious when steamed or sauteed with garlic. I let some go to seed at the end of spring and they provide new plants for fall harvest. Then I let the fall plants set seeds to provide the next spring’s crop. I have a steady supply and I don’t have to do a thing except thin or move them around where I want them. I like that in a plant.
Mustard greens in fall
Swiss chard and kale
Of course I also always grow Swiss chard and several types of kale. I leave the old stalks in the ground through the winter and about half the time they will sprout giving me very early greens. These stalks don’t usually last past May, but that gives me time to get new plants in the ground before they give out. And neither of these greens bolts in warm weather so I have greens all summer.
Kale is a favorite
I get some pushback when I talk about kale these days – “it’s so passe!” as everyone says. But it will never get old with me. I love it in soups, stirfries, and my favorite, kale salad. But not your usual chopped raw kale. That often leaves people cold. But I’ve learned to massage it into a sweet, tender vegetable that doesn’t resemble the woody, chewy kind often found in kale salads.
Massaging Kale
My favorite to use is dragon kale, also called laciniato, an Italian heirloom. I find it’s the sweetest. It may sound strange to think of massaging kale into a salad, but crushing it takes away the bitterness and toughness. Try it – I think you’ll be hooked.
Massaged Kale Salad
One large bunch kale (laciniato preferred, but any kind will work)
1 t. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. olive oil
Juice of one half a lemon
Parmesan cheese to garnish
Remove the ribs from the kale. This can be done by grasping the end of the rib and stripping off the leaves. Discard the ribs. Roll the leaves into a “cigar” and slice into ribbons.
In a large bowl, douse the kale with the olive oil, add the garlic and salt and begin to massage or crush the kale with your hands. This can only be done well with the hands, so get into it and enjoy it. Your hands will thank you for the olive oil massage.
Once the kale is dark green and reduced considerably in bulk, squeeze the lemon juice over it. Adjust the salt, add pepper if you desire and garnish with plenty of fresh grated parmesan cheese. You will find this irresistible!
This time of year cabbage and kale are plentiful and nutritious. It’s also time to think about getting those transplants ready for the garden. The cold weather doesn’t bother these hearty (and hardy) plants.
Redbor kale
All members of the cole family are troubled by cabbage moths, so be ready when your transplants go out to cover them with row covers or be vigilant about treating with Bt, a bacterium specific to butterfly and moth larvae (available at most garden centers).
Now to the best part – eating!
Whether Chinese cabbage such as bok choi or napa, round head red or green cabbage, Winterbor, red Russian or laciniato kale, they all can make a wonderful riff on the traditional Irish colcannon.
This true comfort food is simply made with mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. It sounds unusual, but I’ll guarantee that there’s something magical about the combination of earthy potatoes and sweet cabbage or kale.
Start with mashed potatoes
And as great as it is just as the Irish make it, there are so many other things you can add to it to make it even more delicious. You simply make mashed potatoes as you always have (add cream cheese when mashing for more richness).
Choose your vegetables
Then saute vegetables of your choice – kale, swiss chard, chinese cabbage, traditional cabbage, eggplant, zucchini, broccoli – with some onion and a bit of garlic until slightly tender.
Kalecannon
Mix with the mashed potatoes and bake. It makes a perfect side dish to any main course, and is a delicious vegetarian entree all by itself.
Feel free to add and subtract as your palate desires. You can substitute half the potatoes with parsnips, add carrots or peppers. You can also top the dish with cheddar, gouda or parmesan cheese for a different flavor. If you like, top the dish with bread crumbs or panko before baking.
Kalecannon
Serve six as a side or four as a main dish
4 medium russet potatoes (about two and a half pounds), peeled and cut into chunks. You can use reds or yellow potatoes for a different flavor
2 T. salt (sounds like a lot, but you are salting the water which will give the potatoes just enough saltiness
4 T. butter or 2 T. butter and 2 T. cream cheese
Approximately 1 c. milk or cream
3 c. chopped kale, cabbage, chard, or other leafy green
3 green onions or one small leek, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
½ c. chopped sweet red pepper or mix in a little hot pepper if you like
In a medium -sized saucepan, put the potato chunks and cover with cold water by an inch. Add salt and bring to a boil. potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by at least an inch. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, and bring to a boil. Boil until a fork easily pierces the potatoes, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well.
Saute vegetables
Preheat the oven to 425. Melt the butter in a saute pan and add the greens. Saute about three minutes. Add the onions or leeks and any other vegetables and cook another minute. Set aside.
Mash and bake
Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or mixer, using enough milk or cream to make them creamy but not runny. Combine with the vegetables and salt and pepper to taste. Smooth into an oiled casserole dish and add cheese and/or breadcrumbs if using. Bake about 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbly. Let stand ten minutes and enjoy!
Kate's Garden Kitchen 
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