Mixed Greens

We had an excellent diversity of greens in our fridge the other day: rutabaga greens, turnip greens, radish greens and beet greens. These are the bonus vegetables that come attached to the delicious roots we buy at the Hollywood Farmers Market.

I combined them all in this simple dish of greens.

First I washed them all - this was the longest step - and discarded the very thick stems. Then I stacked them on top of each, cut them in half lengthwise and then across in inch-wide ribbons.

I warmed a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet with a lid. I added some red onion and a bashed clove of garlic and let them soften. Then I added the greens a few handfuls at a time, interspersing with salt and pepper, and stirring well so the oil lightly coated all the greens. I put the lid on and let it cook down a little. I find if the greens get slightly browned they become sweeter, so I encourage that, but not burning.

The diversity of the greens cooks down to a pleasant pottage. The spicy turnip and radish greens are tempered by the sweet beet tops and the cabbage-y rutabaga greens. I could also have added kale or spinach as well to bulk up the dish. In fact, any greens do in this simple, yet highly nutritious, side dish that we enjoy regularly through the winter months. I tend to make a large amount so I can stir the leftovers into cooked brown rice the next day.

We can never eat too many greens.