Randomly, Greens

[browngirl]

It always seemed wasteful to me to buy a leek and throw away the densely green top half-to-three-quarters. So the last time I got leeks, after having read a recipe in Saveur which involved grilling leek greens, I washed them and saved them with my bunch of collards.

I have been cooking late at night recently, because, why not? So tonight I broiled the leek greens till they turned cripsy and blackened on top, then sliced them as thinly across the grain as I could and braised them for an hour with the collards (and some onions and sausage). The result is scrumptious, just enough texture to convey heft but toothsomely textured, with layers of flavor from the onion & leek pairing and the charring. And now I know leek greens can be cooked long and wet, I won't ever throw them away again.

Meanwhile, I need to scour the farmer's markets for Kale Sprouts, because I cannot justify spending $50 (including shipping) on kale. Even miniature adorable kale. Even if I want to take a picture of the lovely Starfleet Lieutenant doll taraljc and boosette gave me, holding and tricordering a head of kale sprout. Really, no. So.

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Leek tops also make good veggie stock and wonderful leek and potato soup.

[leftarrow.livejournal.com]

Leek tops, yay!!! What you cooked sounds a-freaking-mazing. I think the first time (and one of the few times, alas) that I cooked with leeks, I just didn't know that the tops weren't the main part of the leek, so those got chopped up and added to the broth right along with the bulb for very tasty results. Somehow, in spite of being brutally humid where I am, it's slightly too hot and dry to grow leeks well, or I would probably have an annual shocking surplus of them and thus a couple of recipes to share.

I'm glad you included the link to the kale sprouts; I initially thought you just meant itty-bitty kale sprouted from seeds. Those look interesting though! I wonder if I'd like them better than plain brussel sprouts.

:D

[summercomfort]

I *always* stir-fry the leek greens! I chop them into finger-sized slices and stir-fry with pork or chicken. :D!!

[taraljc.livejournal.com]

DOOOO IIIIIIIIIIT.

[berreh.livejournal.com]

Braising leek greens sounds yummy! I hate turnip/collard/mustard greens (which sucked for me growing up in rural Florida!), but I love leeks.

[med_cat]

sort of related: thought you might like this poem

http://www.yourdailypoem.com/listpoem.jsp?poem_id=1933

;)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[zelda888.livejournal.com]

You might try to find Kale Sprout seeds - buying the seeds and growing them yourself ought to be a lot cheaper than ordering them already grown and picked.


They're a fashionable new hybrid, and so not cheap as seeds go, but still: http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-8665-kaleidoscope-mix.aspx