Clean Out the Fridge Greens

I order a weekly vegetable delivery from Dandelion Organic. It’s a local company that sources from organic farms in my area. What I like about this type of subscription is that each week I can go online and see what will be delivered and make changes to suit my needs. They do source from outside of my area, too, bringing in produce that isn’t seasonal and can only be sourced elsewhere. I like to choose mostly local and heavy on the greens.

Sometimes, when a new box arrives, I haven’t eaten all the greens and more perishable items from the previous week. So I pull all of those out of the fridge before storing the new. I make what I have come to think of as Clean Out the Fridge Greens. It basically amounts to a pile of greens chopped and put in a pot and simmered until done.

There are variations. Sometimes I add thinly sliced half moon onion and garlic at the beginning. Sometimes I add raisins and cinnamon. I usually add an acid at the end, like vinegar or lemon juice. Super simple. And it processes a whole bunch of greens at once. I highly recommend. It’s a great way to reduce food waste.

I don’t usually add head cabbage because I think of it as more of a storage vegetable and it can hang out in the fridge for a while. But, you can add it if you want. If I add spinach I usually wait until closer to the end and stir through to let it wilt without overcooking.

If you are worried about oxalic acid in spinach, swiss chard and beet greens, cooking and then adding apple cider vinegar greatly reduces the amount.

Here is a basic recipe. Go wild.

Clean Out the Fridge Greens

High heat oil, like avocado (optional)
Onion-sliced in thin half moons, or diced
A clove or two of garlic, minced
Hearty greens-one type or a variety, whatever you have on hand (examples are collards, swiss chard, kale, beet greens, dandelion, mustard greens), rinse well, tough stems removed and roughly chopped
Sea Salt
Vinegar or lemon juice

1. In a heavy bottom pot with a good fitting lid, on medium heat, saute the onions until translucent. You can do this with a bit of oil or in a little water.

2. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.

3. Add all your greens. You may need to add them in stages depending on the volume of greens and size of your pot. Stir a bit to help the greens reach the heat and start cooking. Add soon as all the greens start looking wilted, add a few tablespoons of water, a small pinch of sea salt and add a lid. Stir every few minutes and remove from heat when they look done. I sometimes cook these until just tender, or other times I cook them for longer until they are super soft.

4. Remove from heat. Add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice. Enjoy!