Lesson 4 Leaves

A Closer Look at Flavor Profiles:

Mustard greens, watercress, and arugula are spicy -- a little bit goes a long way in salads or soups.

Spinach is very mellow and is delicious, either raw or cooked.

Cabbage, kale, collard greens, and chard are tougher than other greens, which makes them tastier when cooked, though there are ways to make them delicious when raw too. They're especially good in stews and braises.

Lettuces like Bibb, Romaine, and butter lettuce are all wonderful in salads. Generally, they taste better raw than cooked.

Cooking With Greens: Practical Tips and Kitchen Inspiration

As mentioned in the video above, there are many ways to prepare and cook with leafy greens.

Regarding salads, consider a mix of raw greens, whether crunchy Romaine or peppery arugula. Try mixing a few different types of greens for side salads and see which ones make the best combinations.

Stemming and steaming kale and chard is a quick and simple way to soften their tasty leaves into a fun side dish. Top the steamed greens with a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of salt or grated Parmesan.

Of course, there are lot to be said for sautéing too. Spinach is tasty when cooked with sliced garlic in just a teaspoon of olive oil.

Kale chips make a fun cooking demonstration or a free sample at events. To make them, slice some kale leaves into bite-size pieces and toss them with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper before spreading them on a baking sheet and roasting them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes until they're nice and crispy.

If you're looking for more inspiration, check out the recipe database we gave you in lesson 7.

Here is a delicious way to serve greens:

Cabbage slaw:

Cabbage cooked as a stir fry dish with an Asian flavor profile:

Kale cooked with American flavor profile, using roasted and salted almonds instead of bacon:

Here is a way to stir fry vegetables on the grill: