Great Greens!

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GREENS: HOW TO HARVEST'EM

Although greens are simplicity itself to grow, there are a few tricks to stretching their harvest season in order to keep your yields plentiful and. succulent for as long as possible. For one thing, be sure to pick some of the growing leaves off your greens plants (after the blades are large enough to harvest, of course) each and every week ... even if you're not going to eat the fronds. Such a "pruning" tactic will keep the plants busy producing new tender leaves instead of maturing tough old "chewy" ones. Likewise, pinch off any bloom stalks as soon as they appear so your plants won't be able to bolt. (By the way, if those flower buds come from any of the mustard greens, you can cook and eat the tasty bits just as you would broccoli heads.) Lastly, make certain that your plants are always well watered. Otherwise, the drying vegetables will "think" they're about to die ... and expend their last gasp by going to seed!

GREENS: HOW TO FIX 'EM

The simplest way of preparing some fresh-picked potherbs for the dinner table is to wash the harvest, and boil (or steam) the victuals down—in a little lightly salted water—until they're just tender enough for chewing (never overcook 'em!). Then drain and slice the vegetables (save the nutritious "pot likker" for soup broth, drinking, or sopping up with corn bread), and serve the fixin's topped with a pat of butter, a dab of sour cream, or your favorite dressing.

Young greens leaves can also be used as garnishes, or added raw to salads or sandwiches. Older fronds can be layered into lasagna, cooked in curry dishes, added to cheese and rice casseroles, or dipped in batter and fried like tempura. I'll tell you about some of the other ways to use greens when we get to talking about individual vegetables, but—for heaven's sake—don't let my suggestions limit your kitchen ingenuity. Feel free to mix different greens to create a tempting flavor balance ... replace a recipe's potherbs with other leaves more suited to your taste ... or—best yet—invent a brand new "greens cuisine" of your own!

By this point, you should be so impressed with both the hardiness and usefulness of leaf foods that you're rarin' to grow! So let me tell you a bit about some of the many different cultivated potherbs.

INDIA MUSTARD

Although most folks probably think of mustard as a spicy spread for hot dogs, several members of the condiment producing plant family are grown exclusively for their fine, tangy leaves. The most common of these is called India mustard (Brassica juncea) ... or just plain mustard. (The popular wiener topping is made from the seeds of "white" Brassica alba or "black" Brassica nigra.)

India mustard is a fairly frost hardy spring and fall green that tastes a bit sharp when raw (although the very youngest leaves are quite good in salads), but has a much milder flavor when cooked. The main tricks to raising a savory mustard crop (as well as to cultivating many other greens) are to grow the plant during cool weather, keep the soil around the roots moist, and harvest the leaves while they're young (and only four to six inches long). Otherwise—if the mustard foliage gets too hot, too large, or too dry—you may find that your peppy—but-pleasing vegetable has suddenly turned into a full-fledged tonsil burner!

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