A blade of grass in a bowl of greens

by Marisa McClellan (Subscribe to Marisa McClellan's posts)
Posted Jun 9th 2008 12:02PM
Filed under: Vegetables, Local Eating, Spring

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These late spring weeks mean lots and lots of fresh, young greens at the Farmers' Markets and in CSA shares. Wandering my local market yesterday, the tables were bursting with the vivid colors of arugula, tender spinach leaves and lots and lots of salad mixes. One of the things I love about this bounty of greens is the knowledge that they are super fresh and very close to the soil from which they came.

Recently, as I was washing a batch of soft baby lettuces, I found a tiny, curled up pill bug. A bowl of arugula yielded the blade of grass you see above (it was actually one of five long, grassy bits I found in that bag). If I had found grass in the soulless bags of spring mix I sometimes buy from the supermarket, I would have been irritated, thinking it meant that their cleanliness standards weren't up to snuff. In this situation, instead of being annoyed, I was instantly charmed, because I could imagine the earth, water and sun that had worked together to produce those greens.

How are your spring greens treating you?

Tags: farmers markets, FarmersMarkets, grass, local eating, LocalEating, spring greens, SpringGreens

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6-09-2008 @ 2:54PM

Melissa A. said...

I have greens in my fridge but I don't want to eat them. I'm tired of the olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing and I don't know what to put on them. Suggestions?

6-09-2008 @ 3:03PM

Marisa McClellan said...

Melissa, there are a number of things you could do with those greens.

-Instead of using regular dressing, put a couple of big handfuls of greens in a bowl and top with a poached egg. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and add a drizzle of champagne vinegar.

-Make a dressing using half toasted sesame oil and half light vegetable oil with seasoned rice wine vinegar. It's a different flavor and totally delicious.

-Mix a spoonful of mustard and some minced garlic into your standard balsamic and olive oil dressing for a different flavor with nearly the same ingredients.

-Instead of using dressing, make your favorite mayonnaise based salad and serve over greens.

-Make a mango vinaigrette (Trader Joe's sells a good mango sauce that works well for this).

I hope that helps! Anyone else have helpful ideas for Melissa?

6-09-2008 @ 3:10PM

Melissa A. said...

Oh wow, those sound really good! Thanks!

6-09-2008 @ 7:39PM

wescraig said...

This was on Mark Bittman's blog recently:

* 3 hard-cooked eggs
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 tablespoon milk
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 6 cups greens, preferably romaine, endive, escarole, radicchio or chicory, roughly chopped

Method

* 1. Cut eggs in two and put yolks in a bowl. Mash yolks with sugar and lemon juice, and beat in the sour cream with a wooden spoon, until smooth. Thin with milk if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. (This can all be done in a food processor or a mixer, but it is easy enough by hand.)
* 2. Slice egg whites into thin strips, and toss with greens and dressing. Serve.

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