Category: Mizuna

This beautiful, verdant dish is adapted from Bryant Terry's wonderful book Vegetable Kingdom. It's greener and richer than this more typical Mexican version and is practically a meal in itself.  I've made it a bit spicy and have added toasted cumin and coriander seeds which make it so fragrant. For a richer dish you can increase the amount of coconut milk and decrease the amount of broth, just as long as the total volume of liquid stays more or less the same.   You can really use many kinds of greens. If you have mustard greens, arugula or mizuna only use a small percentage of them as their strong flavor can overpower. Beet greens, chard, collards as well as parsley, cilantro, or even radish tops would be great. You can top it with an egg and/or other toasted seeds or nuts or stir in some chickpeas and a bit more chopped parsley or cilantro--what I did with leftovers, above.... Read more »

Spinach is quick-cooking and tender and makes for a wonderful, quick weeknight curry. This coconut milk curry is quite similar to this one, which includes onions and is a bit drier.   Start the rice the minute you walk in the door and sit down to eat 20 minutes later if using white rice or 35-40 if brown. And the leftovers are excellent.... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_15720" align="aligncenter" width="600"] This version includes mustard and turnip greens, radishes and Hakurei (aka Salad) turnips.[/caption] Radishes are delicious sauteed, braised or roasted. If they're a little on the hot side raw, giving them a quick cook is a good way to sweeten and mellow them out. This dish involves nothing more than sautéing the radishes and greens in a little olive oil. A little salt and possibly a squeeze of lemon juice or dash of vinegar is all you need.   Variations Delicious greens that can be used are, radish tops, mustard greens, turnip, beet greens, and/or mizuna. Top with spicy tahini sauce for a fancier version. [caption id="attachment_15727" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Fancified with toasted sunflower seeds and *spicy tahini sauce.[/caption]... Read more »

This is a gorgeous, robust salad that holds up well and nicely pairs with richer wintry dishes, stews, roasts, curries, etc.   This is one of the few recipes in which winter squash is called for raw. I used a kabocha squash here, but others work great too!  ... Read more »

Light, bright and tender. . . these are such a treat. I typically serve mizuna raw in salads or added to soups at the very end. In this preparation they stay really fresh despite the quick visit to the pan.  ... Read more »

This recipe was created by Cathy Whims, long-time friend and Chef  at Nostrana, Oven & Shaker, and Enoteca Nostrana in my kitchen with what I had on hand. Cathy uses one handful of rice per person, plus a handful if you want leftovers.   We used a chicory called Arch Cape from Ayers Creek Farm. It is a variety they have been cultivating and adapting to their growing conditions here in the Willamette Valley so they renamed it this year and let go of the original name Radicchio Treviso. Any chicory would work in this preparation. ... Read more »

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  I was inspired by the famous Zuni Café roast chicken to create a riff on the bread salad served with the chicken. So if you feel like roasting a chicken this would be a lovely accompaniment. My ratio of bread to greens is the opposite of the Zuni one but feel free to invert it.  ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_13993" align="aligncenter" width="660"] I happened to use Green Zebra tomatoes for the above version, not unripe tomatoes, but just a varietal that is green when ripe.[/caption] This quick salad is what I make all summer long when tomatoes (and cucumbers and leafy herbs) are at their peak.  This is not panzanella, at least not in the typical Tuscan sense, though it may look a bit like it. This is panzanella, the wonderful, soggy, yes soggy, Tuscan dish I enjoyed day after day in Italy and also make frequently in late summer.   This is a wonderful template for most any late summer produce and is very open to substitutions.  ... Read more »

This is a lovely, fresh and quick salad that’s creamy, crunchy and hearty enough for a lunch or as a light supper with another salad or egg (or fish/meat) dish on the side.   4 servings... Read more »

--slightly adapted from Kitchen Diaries II by Nigel Slater   Chinese five-spice powder is a spice mix often made with fennel, star anise, cloves, cinnamon and Sichuan pepper.   This stir fry comes together quickly and is fresh, spicy and delicious.   If you don't have Chinese five spice do your best to make your own with spices in your pantry that include some of the above--use black pepper instead of Sichuan, skip the anise or add some coriander. . .   Serves 2... Read more »

The sweetness of the turnips is nicely complemented by the bite of mustard greens and radishes and the peanuts add a little crunch and heft. You could certainly add herbs or other vegetables to the salad. It's just a good, quick, template. The peanut oil is really nice here but if you don't have it you could substitute a neutral oil and add 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil.     ... Read more »

Rich egg salad is perfectly balanced with spicy greens like mustard, mizuna, watercress or arugula. This dish easily scales up or down so just use what you have.  ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_5881" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This version didn't have mizuna but had cabbage in it instead.[/caption] This is a robust, bright salad that is begging for seasonal adaptations, protein additions (leftover chicken) etc. It can be made vegan with a non-dairy substitute for the yogurt. And it’s good the next day, if a bit softer.... Read more »

  This is a very adaptable salad (template). Substitute vegetables and herbs as you wish just be sure to chop everything quite small. This is a good dinner salad on a warm night especially if you add cooked beans, cheese and/or toasted seeds or nuts or cooked chicken.   This makes a lot of salad so feel free halve the recipe. I load mine up with herbs—mint, parsley, cilantro, chives and thyme. The more the better!... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_3965" align="aligncenter" width="678"] The above version includes a some canned Oregon Albacore, which his a lovely addition.[/caption] I love green onions and especially the greens, so I use them liberally here. You can cut back if you’re not as much of a fan. The chili oil, of which you’ll have some leftover, is wonderful on any salad or meat or roasted vegetable.  ... Read more »

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I am a bean evangelist (delicious, inexpensive, shelf stable, etc.) I love adding whatever cooked beans I have in the fridge to salads made with whatever I have on hand. It’s an excellent template. This is a favorite lunch or quick addition to dinner. Quantities and ratios are up to you.  ... Read more »

Peppery arugula and/or mizuna, radishes and herbs pair well with a flatiron steak (also knows as top-blade) or flank steak, a tender, very flavorful and fairly thin cut. It’s best either grilled or cooked on the stovetop to medium rare. For this dish you can either toss the thinly sliced steak with the greens and dressing or simply serve the sliced steak along side the salad. The generous amount of parsley, used like a salad green itself here, and the arugula and mizuna make for a vibrant and complex dish. Serve with roasted potatoes, good crusty bread, etc.  ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_14762" align="alignleft" width="225"] The most common mizuna is green though you might find this beautiful red variety. They taste very similar and can be used interchangeably.[/caption] Mizuna is a peppery, fresh and juicy green with deeply cut and fringed leaves. There are green as well as purple varieties. Its pale, tender stems are delicious so cut them up finely and use them wherever you are using the leaves--salads, slaws and even lightly stir fried or pickled.   I like to finely chop mizuna or other greens, mix them with a little olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic and salt. Then I top soups or stews or plates of grains and vegetables with a generous amount of this zippy, fresh garnish. It adds wonderful texture and flavor.   Mizuna is quite tender so use it within a 3-4 days of getting it. Store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.          ... Read more »