Recipe: Sauted Winter Greens
Cooking Kale and Chard with Mix and Match Additions
Kale and chard are hardy winter greens that can be sauted quickly and easily for a tasty side dish rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, potassium and dietary fiber.
Though generally available year round, kale and chard grow well in cool weather and, if protected, may survive in a cold frame over the winter. They can be substituted easily in dishes that call for spinach but have unique tastes in their own right.
Kale
Kale (Brassica oleracea) is a member of the cabbage family. The leaves are blue-green in color and almost frilly in appearance. Younger leaves are tender enough to eat raw, but more mature leaves require cooking. Kale is "stemmy," but removing the stems completely does away with most of the leaf, so it is better to chop the leaves and stems well prior to cooking. The leaves should be washed well, especially if harvested from a home garden as kale is very susceptible to aphids. They can then be steamed or sauted, as in the recipe below.
Chard
Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) is a member of the beet family. It is known as a "beetless beet:" the greens without the bulb. The leaves are large and deep green. Chard stems come in various colors depending on variety: white for Fordhook, red for Ruby or Rhubarb and all the colors of a sunset for the Bright Lights Variety. It can be eaten raw in salads or lightly steamed.
Winter Greens Saute
- 1large bunch greens: kale or chard or spinach or a mixture
- 4 or 5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1/3 cup of one of the following: dried figs, raisins, dried cherries, sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/4 cup of one of the following: pinon nuts, pecans, walnuts
Directions
- Wash greens well and chop roughly. Set aside in a collander to drain.
- If using sun-dried tomatoes, pour enough boiling water over them to cover them and let them sit 10 minutes or until soft. Drain.
- Toast nuts in oven 10 minutes. A toaster oven will save energy, or toast nuts while the oven is on for other baking. They can be toasted ahead of time and kept in an airtight container.
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil or melt butter.
- Add garlic and mushrooms and saute 2 minutes.
- Add greens, dried fruit or re-constituted tomatoes, and nuts. Stir and cover to steam.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are bright, dark green and tender, and heated through, about 5 minutes.
This dish goes well with roasted chicken and sweet potatoes or butternut squash and serves 8.
According to the USDA, both kale and chard are low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in dietrary fiber. They are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Thiamin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.
