Back From the Dead

Greens are still among us. Go to any local farmers market and you will find fresh looking bunches of kale, collards, mustard greens, and broccoli rabe alike. But what happens once you take that gorgeous bouquet home and store it in your refrigerator? I don't know about you, but after one day of sitting in my refrigerator the whole bunch wilts. Pathetic. The last thing you want to do is eat a pile of limp, wrinkled greens, but the alternative - to throw out the greens - is even less appealing. You just spent all that money on local produce and now you are just going to throw it away? Fortunately, there is a solution. You can revive your greens back from the dead. 


Here is what to do. Place your drooping greens in a large bowl (large enough to fit all of the greens, preferably including the stems). Fill the bowl with cold water and drop a handful of ice cubes in the bowl as well. Let the greens sit for a few hours in this nice, cold, ice bath. My advice: do this before you go to bed, so that the greens have all night to recuperate. The next morning: ta-da! Your greens will be happy, alive, and ready for eatin'! This trick also works with herbs. They just need a little fresh water to perk up.

Sad, pathetic kale after 1 day in the fridge

Happy kale after a long, ice bath. Ready to be cooked! 

And what can you do with your greens once they are revived? Here is a delectable dish, perfect for these warm (yet at the same time chilly) September days:

Kale with Sweet Potatoes (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant: Cooking for Health)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

-1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 teaspoon mustard seeds (if you don't have these, don't worry 'bout it!)

-2 garlic cloves, minced

-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

-1 teaspoon curry powder

-1/2 bunch of kale, chopped

-pinch of salt

-2 tablespoons water

-1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

-ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Steam sweet potatoes until fork can easily pierce through (about 10 minutes).

2. Heat skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. Add mustard seeds and as soon as they start popping, add the garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the curry powder, kale, and salt. Stir until kale wilts, 2-3 minutes.

4. Add water to pan, cover, and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. 

3. Stir in sweet potatoes and soy sauce. Add black pepper, to taste. 

Serve with Caribbean Spiced Mahi Mahi with Habanero-Peach Butter (from the Turtle Bay Cookbook)