Find your favorites

All in the family, yet different, greens vary widely in taste and appearance. Check out these easy-to-find varieties:

• Beet greens—Leafy tops cut from beets have delicate flavor similar to Swiss chard when quickly boiled, steamed, or sauted.

• Bok choy—Commonly found with crunchy white stalks and dark green leaves; mildly flavored, eaten raw or cooked; perfectly complemented by Asian seasonings.

• Broccoli raab—Smaller than regular broccoli, but with more leaves, smaller flowerets, and a gently bitter taste.

• Collard greens—A type of cabbage with large, flat, paddle-shaped leaves; a traditional “soul food” staple boiled a long time with ham hocks or bacon.

• Kale—A colorful member of the cabbage family with wrinkled, blue- or purple-tinged leaves; remove tough center stem and prepare like spinach.

• Mustard greens—Another popular ingredient with a peppery taste and bright green leaves (or many different colors in the Chinese varieties).

• Swiss chard—A beet family member with dark green wrinkled leaves and reddish (rhubarb chard), pale green, or multicolored stems, with a rich, earthy taste.

Stir it up

Easy and fast, stir-frying greens—just long enough to wilt the leaves—is a tasty preparation method. Use one kind or a mixture according to what’s in season. Buy 1 1/2 to 2 (680 to 907 g) pounds to serve four people.

• Thoroughly wash leaves, discarding any discolored ones, and trim stem ends. Coarsely chop leaves and stems.

• In a large saut pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil over high heat. Add 2 cloves minced fresh garlic and stir until golden. Add prepared greens and toss to coat with oil, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Sprinkle with salt to taste and continue tossing greens until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve as a side dish, or use as a bed for grilled fish or chicken.

For some other good greens, try Braised Greens with Lots of Garlic, and Penne with Chard, Tomatoes, and White Beans.