creative applications for big leafy greens

Week 4: baby lettuce mix, head of lettuce, spinach, radishes, chard, kale, green onions, broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, garlic scapes

swiss chard and kale pasta

With such a short summer and long winter in Vermont, I have gained a deeper appreciation for fresh local produce.  I spent the late winter and early spring yearning for a time of fruitful abundance.  At long last it has arrived and we had our first BIG pick up yesterday.

The flip side to this is the angst of figuring out what to do with it all.  Last night I was feeling overwhelmed with big leafy greens taking over my refrigerator.  I started the dinner making process with a focus on using up my swiss chard and kale in a sauté.  

Chiffonade is my favorite cutting technique for these big leaves.  They are so much easier to cut when you stack 'em, fold 'em and roll 'em.  I removed the main rib from the kale, since it is quite tough, but I used the whole stem of the chard.  The yellow, orange and red stems made for a vibrant finished dish.  

I added sliced green onions, garlic scapes, olive oil, salt and pepper.  After a light sauté, I added a splash of chicken stock to steam and soften the greens.  Then I tossed them with some pasta and tomato sauce.  Topped with toasted pinenuts and grated parm.  Try it and let me know what you think.

I was also thinking that the sauté would be a nice layer in a lasagne as well.