Grains n' Greens

Ingredients:

1 bunch beet greens, roughly chopped with stems
3 scallions, finely chopped
4 garlic scapes, or two cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. Olive oil
2 c. Israeli couscous
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
salt to taste


Directions:

Heat oil on medium.

Add couscous and cook until lightly brown, stirring often (~5 minutes).

Add scapes/garlic and scallions. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add broth and beet greens. Don't stir in the greens, but lower heat and cover tightly.

Stir every few minutes, adding salt if needed, until liquid is mostly absorbed and couscous is soft. If liquid is absorbed before the couscous is finished cooking, add a splash more broth or water and re-cover.

Chard with Beet Vinegar

2 large beets, peeled and cooked
1 cup rice vinegar
3 Tbs. sugar
½ tsp. lemon juice
dash white pepper
1 large bunch fresh chard or beet greens, chopped
butter to taste
Garnish: sour cream or fresh plain yogurt

In a blender, puree the beets together with the rice vinegar, sugar, lemon juice and white pepper.  Pour into a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 5 minutes.  Cool.  Steam the chard until tender, drain.  Toss chard with butter and pepper to taste.  Arrange the cooked chard on a serving platter.  Spoon over some of the beet vinegar to taste and garnish with a generous dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

(From Recipes from a Kitchen Garden by Shepherd and Raboff)

Risotto with Greens

No greens will be wasted! If you are not sure how to use your greens, make this for dinner! Double the recipe! 

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 c. risotto, uncooked
1/2-3/4 lb. fresh greens, trimmed and torn (Radish greens, kale, chard, mustards, turnip greens, beet greens, etc.)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-1/2 oz.) cans chicken or vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Saute onion in olive oil in a small stock pan. Add risotto and saute until golden. Add greens and garlic; saute until greens are wilted. Stir in broth slowly (one can at a time). Cook, covered, on low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add black pepper, stirring well. Add cheese, if desired, and blend well before serving.

Gumbo Z'Herbes

Author's note: A Cajun contraction of "gumbo aux herbes," this dish is meatless for Lent and traditionally eaten on Maundy Thursday. It is supposed to contain seven green vegetables to bring seven new people to you who will bring you luck. But feel free to substitute other greens or shorten the list. Lengthy cooking time is a feature of Cajun cookery; I have more than halved the time this gumbo would spend on the stove in a Cajun household. Hopefully, it still brings luck. - from the cookbook, Heaven's Gate

Step One:

6 c. coarsely chopped spinach
6 c. coarsely chopped collards
4 c. coarsely chopped beet or turnip greens
4 c. coarsely chopped cabbage
2 c. coarsely chopped watercress
2 c. coarsely chopped dandelion greens or chicory
1 c. coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
8 c. vegetable stock

Step Two:

1/4 c. ghee or butter
2 T. minced fresh ginger
2 c. finely chopped celery or fennel
1 c. finely chopped green or red pepper
2 t. dried thyme
2-3 bay leaves

Step Five

1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
1 t. black pepper
Salt
Cooked Rice

1. Place all chopped leafy vegetables and stock in large soup pot. Bring to boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer very slowly for thirty minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt ghee or butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add ginger, celery or fennel, peppers, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Set aside.
3. Drain green vegetables in a large sieve held over a bowl to catch the pot liquor (stock). Press out all the liquid with the back of a spoon. Coarsely grind - but do not puree - the vegetables on a food processor.
4. Add the greens to the skillet containing the celery and bell peppers. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally , for ten minutes.
5. meanwhile, measure six cups of the pot liquor back into the soup pot. Add the greens, cloves, allspice, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Partially cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Add salt to taste. To serve, place a mound of rice in the center of an individual bowl for each diner and pour the gumbo over it.

Sunshine Beets

2-3 Tbs. olive oil
3 medium beets with their greens
2 medium carrots
2 cloves garlic
3/4 - 1 c. orange juice
 salt, pepper to taste

optional (but good!) - 1/2 lb. tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces

Separate beet greens - wash, chop (include stems) and set aside. Roast or boil beets until tender. Transfer beets to cold water until they cool enough for handling, then remove skins. Chop beets and set aside. 

Chop carrots in similar size pieces and steam until just tender; set aside. 

Dice garlic and saute gently for two minutes. 

Add greens and orange juice; simmer until greens are tender (not long).

Add beets and carrots, (and tofu if using), stirring until everything is evenly heated and flavors have blended. Season to taste.

If you haven't cooked beets with orange juice yet, do give it a try. Almost guaranteed to convert a non-beet eater!