Vegetables were a mystery to me until I got a job selling vegetables at the Chino Farms stand in San Diego County. After a weekend shift, the Chinos often invited me to lunch in their home kitchen behind the stand. One winter day, Kay Chino, who is unfortunately no longer here, had prepared a huge pot of steamed vegetables, along with a lot of other vegetable preparations and two rice cookers full of rice (one white, one brown). Until then, I had never bought a bunch of kale, chard, collards, or mustard greens because I didn't have the slightest idea what to do with them. Well, Kay showed me what to do. She started with a base of onions, garlic and lots of olive oil. She added a handful of greens to each and folded them to make room for more. Kay cooked the vegetables for about an hour (I cook mine for less time) and added spinach right at the end. I do that too. Kay added homemade chicken stock to “buy time” while cooking. I sometimes make mine with chicken broth (only if I have homemade on hand) and sometimes with plain old water.
There are so many ways to enjoy the green. Apparently they prepare a delicious side dish themselves. You can chop them finely and mix them with pasta – and crumbled Italian sausage if you like. (It's mine.) Chop the cooked vegetables and stir them into eggs, stuff them into an omelette, or stir them into a bowl of lentils or other bean soup. Make them the main ingredient in a Meatless Monday taco (along with queso fresco) or spread them on a tortilla and top with melted cheese to make a quesadilla. Serve a pile of kale with a fried egg on top, in a grain bowl, or as a bed for baked or pan-fried fish. Should I continue?
Mix the greens as desired or use just one variety.
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