A Farm to Table Recipe: Get Your Greens!

Try this adaptable and delicious recipe for fresh greens from the Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning. Just out in paperback and bursting with delicious recipes and beautiful photographs, this timely cookbook offers loads of ideas of what to make with farm- or garden-fresh foods.

A Versatile Recipe for the Hearty Greens You Don’t know What to Do With
(2 to 4 servings)

Just about every visit to the farmer’s market or delivery from a CSA will yield one big, bushy bunch of greens. I suspect that too often these gorgeous greens are just discarded. Whether attached to beets, kohlrabi, turnips, or just simple kale, those coarse-looking greens are indeed edible, and I don’t mean in that bland macrobiotic-steamed-brown-rice kind of way. They are really yummy, especially prepared in this simple Japanese-inspired style. There are no quantities here; each batch of greens will have a different flavor and quantity; just sprinkle the other ingredients sparingly on the greens until you get a flavorful blend.

Ingredients
1 bunch hearty greens—kohlrabi, beets, turnips, or kale
toasted sesame oil
Good-quality soy sauce
Furikake or toasted sesame seeds*

Tear the leaves from their tough ribs and stems. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the leaves, and boil until tender, 1 to 3 minutes depending on the type of greens.

Drain the greens in a colander and push on them to remove as much water as possible.

Roughly chop the cooked greens and place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle lightly with sesame oil and soy sauce; toss to coat. Sprinkle with the furikake and serve as a side dish or salad.

* Furikake is a Japanese condiment made from sesame seeds, nori seaweed, and sea salt that’s used as a seasoning for rice and salads. It is available at most Asian grocery stores; you can substitute toasted sesame seeds and a sprinkle of sea salt.