Julian Brunt: Greens don't deserve a bad rap

Green vegetables get a bad rap, even among hearty eaters.

Maybe overzealous mom's are to blame for harping on the need to eat your veggies, but the rap is undeserved.

Another problem might be the Southern proclivity to overcook almost everything, but hopefully we are moving away from that trend.

For cooking greens, there is a three-step process to make sure they are cooked to perfection and retain the flavor and crunch that make them great.

The first step is to blanch them in salted boiling water. Professional cooks say home cooks under utilize salt, so keep that in mind here and use more than a pinch or two.

The second step is to drain the still slightly undercooked greens, then plunge them into an ice bath, which stops the cooking process and shocks the vegetables so they stay crisp and retain their bright green color. That method can be applied to almost any vegetable.

After draining the now cold vegetables, they can be set aside for as long as you like until you are ready for the final step.

In the simplest application, a little olive oil is heated, chopped garlic and perhaps some red pepper flakes are added and cooked for just a few minutes. Be sure to remove the garlic if you think it might burn, nothing will ruin a dish like burnt garlic. Now turn the heat up and give the vegetables a final sauté. That's it.

These vegetables are so good they can be served as a standalone dish, with just a side of starch, such as rice or pasta. But there is nothing wrong with making them a part of a larger meal.

A serving of broccoli has only 25 calories and good amounts of vitamins C and A, plus potassium. Broccoli rabe is pretty much the same but also has calcium and iron. Most of the other good

green things to eat follow suit.

BROCCOLI RABE AND GRILLED SHRIMP

Broccoli rabe can be served as a side or as a standalone, but it is also goes very well with grilled shrimp.

1 bunch broccoli rabe

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 pound shrimp

Equal parts butter and oil

Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

Ice bath

Trim the large ends of the broccoli rabe. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. The water should taste like the sea to be properly seasoned. Add the broccoli rabe, return to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove, drain, and then plunge into the ice bath. Let sit 2 minutes then remove and set aside. Season the shrimp aggressively with Tony's. Add oil to a large sauté pan and heat to smoking. Add the shrimp, being careful not to overcrowd the pan, and cook for 2 minutes, making sure to turn the shrimp so they cook evenly. Remove and set aside. Add a little more oil to the pan, very thinly slice the garlic, add to the pan, and cook over medium heat for just a minute or two, just until brown. Remove the garlic and set aside. Turn up the heat and add the broccoli rabe, again in batches, and cook until just tender. Do not overcook. Toss the garlic with the broccoli rabe, add a little olive oil if it seems too dry. Plate the greens, garnish with shrimp and serve at once.

BOK CHOY AND OYSTERS

1 bunch bok choy

1 cup diced bacon or ham

1/4- 1/2 cup chicken stock

12 oysters and liquor

Oil as needed

Salt and pepper

Trim the thick ends off the bok choy. Cook the bacon in a wok or large pot, turning often, until well browned. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add the chicken stock, do not remove the bacon drippings, and bring to a simmer, then add the bok choy, season with salt and pepper, simmer, tossing often until just tender. Toss in the bacon, place the oysters on top, cove with a lid and steam until the oyster are just done, it takes only a minute or two. Serve at once.

GREENS AND PASTA

This recipe is so good, if you try it you will be hooked. It may seem an odd combination of Italian and Southern, but it is a perfect match. Please make sure to use real Parmigiano-Reggiano, nothing from a box.

1 bunch collard or turnip greens

1/4 cup chopped ham

2-3 cloves garlic

1 cup vegetable stock

Imported Italian linguini

Red pepper flakes

Parmigiano-Reggiano

Olive oil

Wash and stem the greens. Sauté the ham in a little oil, along with a pinch or two of red pepper flakes until the ham is browned, just before done add the thin sliced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the greens and simmer until just tender, about 15 minutes. Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, toss with olive oil, then plate. Top with the greens and lots of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve at once.

Julian Brunt, who comes from a family with deep Southern roots, writes the Coast Cooking column that appears in Wednesday's Sun Herald and for a blog at sunherald.com.

This story was originally published March 4, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Julian Brunt: Greens don't deserve a bad rap ."