Cooking Greens for Greens Haters

By Barbara Pleasant

From arugula to turnips, fall is the season for beautiful and nutritious cooked greens. Is there someone at your house who hates greens? The 10 ways to cook greens outlined here may convert them! Even if they are not swayed by Sicilian-style polenta with kale or Swiss chard strata, we greens lovers can always use fresh ideas to make fall a little more flavorful. 

Alton Brown's 2005 Good Eats episode called Field of Greens includes a killer recipe for Mustard Green Gratin, various versions of which get gobbled up fast at my house. Indeed, mixtures of cooked greens, eggs, milk, cheese and a little flour (which "set" when baked in a 325 degree oven) can be poured into a pie crust to make quiche, or you can stay crustless with a Spanish-style frittata.

A casserole bound together with egg and stale bread, called a strata, is easy and delicious when made with greens. Layer stale bread with chopped wilted greens, caramelized onions and fontina (or another nice melting cheese) in a buttered casserole dish. Pour in a mixture of 3 eggs and 1 cup milk, with a little cheese and bread crumbs on top. Bake until bubbly and set, and you have a great one-dish meal.

Making the most of the soft texture of cooked greens, Italians often enjoy them over polenta. My version of polenta - a half and half mixture of grits and coarsely ground whole cornmeal, cooked in lightly salted water until it stiffens - makes a fabulous bed for a mound of greens, roasted sweet peppers and grated hard cheese.

Medium-sized leaves picked from chard, kale and some types of mustard can be used as wrappers for not-really-cabbage rolls. Make a mixture of rice and meat, or rice and beans, or bulgur and mushrooms (you get the idea), roll it up in trimmed greens leaves, and place the rolls seam side down in a greased baking dish. Cover tightly, bake for about 45 minutes, and serve with a spicy-sweet condiment or mustard.

Speaking of condiments, fruits like apple, pear, raisins or currants make great flavor companions for cooked greens, or you might serve homemade chutneys with your greens. When making warm dressings for wilted salads, use balsamic vinegar to add a touch of sweetness.

When you're short on time, try one-pot pasta or rice. Have a bowl of clean, chopped greens ready to stir into hot pasta or rice just as it gets done. Put on the lid, let it steam a few minutes, and add additional ingredients (like chopped olives or roasted walnuts), maybe some salad dressing, or simply top with feta cheese and maybe some crisp crumbled bacon.

My last tip (please add more in the Comments section below!) is to gob on the garlic. Three big cloves is not too many - you may want 4 or 5 when seasoning a large pot of greens or a casserole. Don't want garlic? Try a half teaspoon of fennel, dill or anise seeds instead. In addition to adding flavor, they tame the aroma of simmering greens, which is greatly appreciated by people who hate them.

Above: Why not mix and match your greens? Chard, turnips, arugula, mizuna and other greens can be chopped and cooked together in endless combinations. Photo by Barbara Pleasant.

Persimmons:

Crisp Persimmon Cake (from Katrina Kehl)

Yield 16 servings

 

2 lb ripe persimmon pulp               

2 cup flour

2 t. baking soda                      

1 t. each baking powder, salt, ground clove, cinnamon

1/2 cup butter                          

2/3 cup sugar                           

1/2 t. nutmeg

2 eggs                                 

1 cup walnuts, chopped

2 t. lemon juice                       

3/4 cup raisins

2 t. vanilla

 

Scrape pulp out of persimmon and chop. Toss with baking soda in a small bowl. Beat butter with sugar. Add eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add persimmon mixture. Sift dry ingredients and add to persimmon mixture. Stir in walnuts and raisins.

Pour into greased and floured 10" tube or bundt pan. Bake one hour at 350 degrees. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then turn out onto rack.

Persimmon Pie

 

1 unbaked pie crust

2 cups persimmon pulp, either fresh or frozen and thawed

1 egg

1 cup milk

½ cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

 

Line pie pan with pastry dough. Preheat oven to 450 F. Beat persimmon pulp, egg, and milk together until well blended. Mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch and beat into persimmon mixture. Pour the mixture into unbaked pie shell and bake 10 minutes, or until edges of pie crust are firm. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake 50 minutes longer, or until firm and crusted on top and crust is browned. Serve warm with whipped cream.

 

Persimmon Bread 

 

½ cup shortening

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly ground dried ginger root or finely grated fresh ginger

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup persimmon pulp

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup chopped black walnuts or pecans

 

Cream together shortening, sugar, and egg and set aside. Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Gradually blend dry ingredients into the shortening mixture. Add persimmon pulp, vanilla, and nuts and mix to a stiff dough. Pour into greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and set aside for 20 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 375. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a straw or toothpick comes out dry when inserted into the center. Cool for a few minutes, then turn out of pan to cool on rack.

 

Spiced Persimmon Cookies 

 

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup persimmon pulp

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins or chopped dates

 

Preheat over to 325. Cream shortening, then cream in sugar, egg, and persimmon pulp. Sift flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice together. Stir dry mixture into the creamed ingredients to make a stiff dough, then add pecans and raisins or dates. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on racks and store in an airtight container.

 

All recipes from Billy Joe Tatum's Wild Foods Cookbook & Field Guide, probably long out of print. They were intended for the small native persimmon but also work with the Asian varieties like Hachiya.  Thanks to Joe Eaton for passing these on to us.

from SFgate.com:

Persimmons

By Georgeanne Brennan, Chronicle Contributor

One of the best things about fall is getting to eat persimmons. The ones we see in our markets are the Japanese types, Diospyros kaki, of which there are many varieties, but the two main ones are the crunchy Fuyu and the soft, squishy Hachiya.

Both are edible out of hand when ripe, but the Hachiya pulp is used for baking, while the Fuyu is used primarily in salads. Each has its virtues, but I love the deep orange color and crunchy texture of the silky smooth, not-too-sweet flesh of the round, flattish Fuyu.

It's easy to slice or dice, needs no peeling, has practically no seeds, and looks beautiful in a bowl on my kitchen table until I'm ready to use it. I can keep Fuyus two weeks, sometimes longer.

The heart-shaped Hachiya persimmon is altogether different from the Fuyu. It's extremely astringent, almost inedible, until it colors to a deep burnt orange and becomes so soft you can almost leave an indented thumbprint in the flesh. People who love soft fruit find sinking their teeth into the soft jelly of a Hachiya, sucking in the sweet pulp, close to fruit heaven.

The pulp is essential in persimmon pudding, cookies, bread or flan, and can also be used in smoothies.

How to select: Choose Fuyus when they are shiny, orange and firm. Hachiyas are at their peak when they are dark orange and soft, but they will ripen over time, left at room temperature.

How to store: After storing Hachiyas at room temperature until fully ripened, if you don't eat them right away you can freeze them for a frozen treat later (just cut in half and scoop the frozen pulp out with a spoon). Fuyus will hold for several days at room temperature or for a few weeks in the refrigerator.

Grilled Persimmons

Georgeanne Brennan likes to serve these with pork chops or a pork roast, or duck breast, along with braised winter greens. They are also good added warm to a spinach or frisee salad.

INGREDIENTS:
2 firm Fuyu persimmons
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + oil for the grill

INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat a gas grill or build a charcoal or wood fire.

Slice the persimmons crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Remove the seeds with the tip of the knife if necessary.

Put the slices in a bowl and gently toss with the olive oil.

When the grill is ready, brush it with a wire brush and rub it with a little olive oil.

Place the slices directly on the grill or in a single layer in a grilling basket. Grill until slightly golden and softened, about 3 minutes. Turn and grill the other side until golden, another 2-3 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4

Per serving: 90 calories, 0 protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 4 g fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 1 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Persimmon Bread Pudding

From Georgeanne Brennan. The texture of this will vary depending upon the type of bread you use. Coarse-crumbed bread absorbs a lot of milk, and yields a fluffy, airy pudding, while fine-crumbed bread results in a denser version. Both are delicious. Serve warm with whipped cream.

INGREDIENTS:
2 to 3 sort, ripe Hachiya persimmons
4 to 6 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 to 12 slices day-old bread, each about 1-inch thick, crusts removed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS: Peel the persimmons, cut in half and remove seeds. Puree the pulp in a blender. You will need 1 cup puree.

Preheat an oven to 350ƒ. Lightly butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or other baking dish.

Pour 4 cups of the milk into a large bowl if you are using fine-textured or moist bread. If using a coarse, dry bread use 5 to 6 cups of the milk. Add the vanilla, eggs, cloves, nutmeg, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the salt and mix well. Add the bread and let stand until the bread is thoroughly softened. It should not be soggy. Transfer the bread to another bowl, leaving behind the egg mixture.

Arrange a layer of soaked bread in the prepared pan. Top with one-third of the persimmon puree. Pour about one-fourth of the egg mixture over the top. Repeat twice, pushing down the layers of bread as you go. Finish with a bread layer and pour over the remaining egg mixture.

In a large bowl combine the butter and remaining 3/4 cup sugar. Using your fingertips or a wooden spoon, crumble them together and sprinkle evenly over the top of the last bread layer.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature, scooped into bowls.

Serves 6

Per serving: 520 calories, 13 g protein, 90 g carbohydrate, 13 g fat (7 g saturated), 139 mg cholesterol, 545 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Persimmon & Melon Salsa

From Georgeanne Brennan. This is a bridge between late summer and early fall, and the crunch and the flavors of the fruits, heightened with a little lime, make a tasty accompaniment to steamed or grilled fish or chicken.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Fuyu persimmons, seeded and diced
2 cups cubed honeydew or other melon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine the persimmon, melon, salt, lime juice, lime zest, shallots and cilantro. Toss and refrigerate 2 to 6 hours before serving.

Makes about 4 cups

Per 1/2 cup serving: 50 calories, 1 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 0 fat (0 saturated), 0 cholesterol, 77 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.