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| Greens - But Not Money or Jealousy By Phoenix Personal Chef David Hall |
My parents are smart folks. They used the old cartoon character “Popeye the sailor man”
to get me to eat my spinach when I was a kid, telling me I would grow big and strong like
Popeye. Fortunate for them it worked, even though the spinach we had growing up was
that nasty overcooked mushy green slimy stuff in a can. They would attempt to disguise
the nasty taste with some sort of vinegar. The texture – well, was something I had to “get
past” if I wanted to leave the table, let alone get any dessert. Nowadays there would not
be a snow ball’s chance in hell that you would even find one of those disgusting cans in
our home. However, despite the trauma to my childhood palate, I truly enjoy preparing
and eating greens today. What’s the difference? FRESHNESS and variety!
In today’s markets, a local grocery store or farmer’s market, there are a wide variety of
fresh greens readily available to us. These include, Swiss chard, spinach, kale, Beets and
mustard greens, that generally speaking contain good amounts of A, B2, B6, C, E, folate,
calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, fiber. While I prefer to use and consume
fresh produce, we must remember some are not readily available year around, requiring
us to select frozen options or (God forbid) canned options. In the case of leaf green, I opt
for frozen or nothing. I think you got the point.
While some individuals believe raw is the only option for healthy nutrition, Joy C Rickman,
Christine M Bruhn and Diane M Barrett, Department of Food Science and Technology,
University of California – Davis, concluded the following in their report entitled, “Nutritional
Comparison Of Fresh, Frozen, and Canned Fruits and Vegetables II. Vitamin A and
Carotenoids, Vitamin E, Minerals and Fiber”, Journal of the Science of Food and
Agriculture:
“Recently, the obesity epidemic in developed nations has some authorities considering
exclusive recommendation of consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. While we do not
deny the benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, we believe that the scientific
evidence shows that frozen and canned fruits and vegetables should not be excluded from
recommendations. These processed forms offer added convenience to the consumer and
offer diversity to the diet, while generally sacrificing little in nutrition.”
That being said, I still prefer to purchase fresh greens when the fresh option is available. I
like to control the amount of salt added as well as the amount (of heat applied) and
method of cooking.
In some cases, as is the case with spinach, “cooked” provides more vitamin A, calcium,
iron, magnesium and phosphorus than “raw.” Spinach contains oxalic acid, also called
oxalates, which combines with the iron and inhibits its absorption. Oxalic acid also binds
with calcium, creating calcium oxalate and inhibits the absorption of calcium. If there is not
enough calcium in the diet, the oxalic acid will combine with the calcium in the kidneys and
form kidney stones. Therefore, eating raw spinach on a regular basis increases the risk
of kidney stones. Cooking spinach breaks down the oxalates and prevents the formation
of un-absorbable mineral complexes in the body. Spinach (and other greens) provides a
good source of fiber and protein. The high fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A content of
spinach provides good protection against colon cancer. The high protein and low
carbohydrate content makes it a good food for diabetics.
When selecting the larger leaf greens for eating, look for crisp leaves without any sign of
wilting or browning, and stiff stalks. Keep the greens dry in a plastic bag under
refrigeration until it is ready to use, at which point it should be washed thoroughly.
Depending on the preparation you are using, the greens can be gently patted dry on a
towel or cooked while it is still damp from washing.
When cooking (dark) greens, I like to steam them in a little wine just until the leaves wilt a
little and their color darkens, and no more. I steam vs. braising in liquid to minimize
nutritional leaching (nutrients lost in water not consumed). I flavor them with shallots or
garlic, a little salt and pepper and add some sort of acid, either citrus (lemon or lime) or a
vinegar (take your pick). Rainbow Chard (a variety of chard with different colored stems,
white, yellow, red, pink and of course green) is one of my favorites that offers a visually
appealing side dish or salad entrée. I us ALL of the chard, stems included. It is a classic
combination of tastes and textures I have modified a bit. Try my version below and let me
know what you think.
Rainbow Chard with White Wine, Dried Cranberries and Pine Nuts
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Procedure:
Note: For added flavor, fry some uncured apple-wood smoked bacon until crispy,
reserving a SMALL amount of the fat for sautéing the shallots and stems. Chop the bacon
as us as an additional garnish.
Until next time, eat some greens, take some brisk walks and laugh till it hurts. You’ll be
glad you did.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall, CGC
to get me to eat my spinach when I was a kid, telling me I would grow big and strong like
Popeye. Fortunate for them it worked, even though the spinach we had growing up was
that nasty overcooked mushy green slimy stuff in a can. They would attempt to disguise
the nasty taste with some sort of vinegar. The texture – well, was something I had to “get
past” if I wanted to leave the table, let alone get any dessert. Nowadays there would not
be a snow ball’s chance in hell that you would even find one of those disgusting cans in
our home. However, despite the trauma to my childhood palate, I truly enjoy preparing
and eating greens today. What’s the difference? FRESHNESS and variety!
In today’s markets, a local grocery store or farmer’s market, there are a wide variety of
fresh greens readily available to us. These include, Swiss chard, spinach, kale, Beets and
mustard greens, that generally speaking contain good amounts of A, B2, B6, C, E, folate,
calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, fiber. While I prefer to use and consume
fresh produce, we must remember some are not readily available year around, requiring
us to select frozen options or (God forbid) canned options. In the case of leaf green, I opt
for frozen or nothing. I think you got the point.
While some individuals believe raw is the only option for healthy nutrition, Joy C Rickman,
Christine M Bruhn and Diane M Barrett, Department of Food Science and Technology,
University of California – Davis, concluded the following in their report entitled, “Nutritional
Comparison Of Fresh, Frozen, and Canned Fruits and Vegetables II. Vitamin A and
Carotenoids, Vitamin E, Minerals and Fiber”, Journal of the Science of Food and
Agriculture:
“Recently, the obesity epidemic in developed nations has some authorities considering
exclusive recommendation of consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. While we do not
deny the benefits of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables, we believe that the scientific
evidence shows that frozen and canned fruits and vegetables should not be excluded from
recommendations. These processed forms offer added convenience to the consumer and
offer diversity to the diet, while generally sacrificing little in nutrition.”
That being said, I still prefer to purchase fresh greens when the fresh option is available. I
like to control the amount of salt added as well as the amount (of heat applied) and
method of cooking.
In some cases, as is the case with spinach, “cooked” provides more vitamin A, calcium,
iron, magnesium and phosphorus than “raw.” Spinach contains oxalic acid, also called
oxalates, which combines with the iron and inhibits its absorption. Oxalic acid also binds
with calcium, creating calcium oxalate and inhibits the absorption of calcium. If there is not
enough calcium in the diet, the oxalic acid will combine with the calcium in the kidneys and
form kidney stones. Therefore, eating raw spinach on a regular basis increases the risk
of kidney stones. Cooking spinach breaks down the oxalates and prevents the formation
of un-absorbable mineral complexes in the body. Spinach (and other greens) provides a
good source of fiber and protein. The high fiber, vitamin C and vitamin A content of
spinach provides good protection against colon cancer. The high protein and low
carbohydrate content makes it a good food for diabetics.
When selecting the larger leaf greens for eating, look for crisp leaves without any sign of
wilting or browning, and stiff stalks. Keep the greens dry in a plastic bag under
refrigeration until it is ready to use, at which point it should be washed thoroughly.
Depending on the preparation you are using, the greens can be gently patted dry on a
towel or cooked while it is still damp from washing.
When cooking (dark) greens, I like to steam them in a little wine just until the leaves wilt a
little and their color darkens, and no more. I steam vs. braising in liquid to minimize
nutritional leaching (nutrients lost in water not consumed). I flavor them with shallots or
garlic, a little salt and pepper and add some sort of acid, either citrus (lemon or lime) or a
vinegar (take your pick). Rainbow Chard (a variety of chard with different colored stems,
white, yellow, red, pink and of course green) is one of my favorites that offers a visually
appealing side dish or salad entrée. I us ALL of the chard, stems included. It is a classic
combination of tastes and textures I have modified a bit. Try my version below and let me
know what you think.
Rainbow Chard with White Wine, Dried Cranberries and Pine Nuts
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Rainbow chard (2 large bunches), rinsed and patted dry
1½ tablespoons, olive oil
1/8 cup white wine
1 large shallot, finely minced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup roasted/toasted pine nuts (or toasted sliced almonds if you prefer)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Procedure:
- Cut the stems out of the chard leaves, setting the stems aside.
- Pile the leaves together and roll the leaves up. Slice the roll of chard leaves into 1”
ribbons, and set aside in a large mixing bowl for tossing. - Pour the wine over the chard leaves and toss in the bowl.
- Finely chop the stems (~ 1/4” dice).
- In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the shallot and
chopped stems and cook until the shallots are translucent and the stems are tender
but crunchy. - Turn the heat up to high, and add the chard leaves in wine to the pan, tossing them
into the oil and shallots. Cook the chard leaves for about 2 minutes, or until they are
just beginning to wilt and tender. - Season the chard with salt and pepper. Add the cranberries and toss them in the
hot pan. Garnish with the nuts. Serve immediately.
Note: For added flavor, fry some uncured apple-wood smoked bacon until crispy,
reserving a SMALL amount of the fat for sautéing the shallots and stems. Chop the bacon
as us as an additional garnish.
Until next time, eat some greens, take some brisk walks and laugh till it hurts. You’ll be
glad you did.
Blessings,
Chef David Hall, CGC
Copyright 2011, Thyme for a Chef, LLC. All rights reserved.
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