Cooking Tips for Greens

A few quick tips for Greens.   One thing to keep in mind when cooking greens is to steam them when ever possible - this helps to keep the nutrients in and they look much better when steamed rather than boiled.

• You'll need more greens per cooked serving than you might think.  Cooked greens freeze well and it is better to have more than enough than not enough.


• Cook greens in an enameled or stainless steel pot so their acidity doesn't react with the metal.


• Refrigerate and keep greens unwashed until just before cooking; if they're stored even slightly damp, they rot quickly.


• To wash, fill a sink with lukewarm -- not cold -- water. (Soil washes off more easily with lukewarm water.) Dunk the leaves into the water until all the grit is removed, or rinse under a gentle stream of water that won't bruise the tender leaves. Layer in paper towels in a salad spinner.


• Remove the stems from older Swiss chard, spinach, kale, or beet greens: Fold over each leaf lengthwise with the underside facing you. Grasp the leaf with one hand and pull off the stem with the other hand.