The Capsule Pantry: What to Do with Greens Without Resorting to Boiled Cabbage
Don't you dare throw those turnip tops away
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Back in the UK, I had a weekly organic vegetable box from a local farm. My husband and I used to bet on how many of the vegetables would be brassicas each week. Cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale, cavolo nero - this was deepest, darkest England where the sun doesn’t shine so brassicas are about the only things that thrive.
The only respite from brassicas would be turnips. Then there were the beetroots that I would grow in the shady parts of my garden. And with all of these came bags and bags worth of tops.
There was a LOT of green veg to eat. And most people hate green veg.
I get it. Like many people, I was subjected to miserable, overcooked cabbage during my school years and thought I hated green veg for years.
I don’t think like this anymore. Green veg is awesome - it’s just about finding the right recipes.
After picking up some cavolo nero and beetroots in my local market this week, I too had a bag of green stuff languishing in my fridge. So I got creative and subjected my husband to a whole weekend of green-veg-fest.
I won’t lie - it was delicious.
You’ll never throw green veg away again once you’ve tried some of these recipes.
Beetroot top and roasted almond pesto
Serves 4
10 x beetroot tops
15 x blanched whole almonds
15g parmesan
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp good olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt and pepper to season
Heat some olive oil in a saucepan. Throw in the almonds and keep them moving until they’re golden in color. Drain them on some kitchen paper.
If you have a blender, roughly chop everything, stick it in and pulse until you have a rough paste. If like me you don’t have a blender, just finely chop the beetroot tops and almonds as much as you can before adding the rest of the ingredients.
I served this with gnocchi but it would work perfectly well on pasta too. Just cook the pasta / gnocchi until 30 seconds off being done, drain reserving some water. Put the pesto and pasta / gnocchi back in the pan, adding water and simmering for a minute or two until you’ve got a saucy consistency.
Variations
Swap out the almonds for pine nuts or hazelnuts.
Use turnip tops, cavolo nero, kale or savoy cabbage instead of beetroot tops. Or go classic with basil.
Cavolo nero chips
The world may have tired of kale chips a year or two back but I still love them as an appetizer. This week I used cavolo nero but kale or savoy cabbage works just as well.
Just wash and dry the leaves and chop into chip-size pieces. Rub with olive oil and salt, place on a baking tray ensuring they don’t overlap.
Cook in a 180C / 350F oven for 5-6 minutes, turning halfway, until the cabbage has crisped up.
Sprinkle chili flakes or smoked paprika on top.
Spicy rice
Serves 4 for lunch
One cup long grain rice
Two cups water
Sliced greens - as many as you like
Half a white onion sliced into quarter moons
Thumb-sized piece ginger finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
2-3 tbsp sweetcorn (optional)
Soy sauce - approx 2 tbsp
Gochujang or Doubanjiang paste approx 2tbsp (substitute with chilli oil, chilli flakes or a handful of kimchi if you prefer).
Add the water and the rice in a saucepan, add a pinch of salt and a small slug of olive oil. Bring to the boil then simmer until all the water has been absorbed - about 10 minutes.
Spread the rice out to cool for at least 10 minutes, even better if for a few hours in the fridge.
In a frying pan or wok, heat a tablespoon or so of oil until shimmering. Add the onions and fry until softened.
Add the chopped cabbage and fry for another few minutes until it starts to wilt.
Throw in the garlic and ginger and fry for another few minutes.
Add the chilli paste, sweetcorn if using, and soy sauce. Throw in the cooked rice and stir until coated. Cook through.
Serve with a fried egg if you’re feeling fancy.