Veggie IDs: Asian

We have a many varieties of Asian greens in our Summer CSA. These are a traditional stir-fry vegetable from China. Asian greens grow in elongated, upright heads of dark green leaves. The leaves can be cooked and eaten like spinach (meaning you don’t HAVE TO stir fry them, while the crisp stems can be used like celery or asparagus. Asian Greens can be sautéed as a standalone side dish (maybe with some garlic and onions) or is delicious as part of a stir fry or noodle Ramen addition.

To store: Cut off any yellow leaves. Store wrapped loosely in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

To prep: Wash and remove any damaged yellowing leaves. Cut off the root tip. If the stems are thick, cut the leaves from the stems and cook them separately a few minutes before you add the leaves.

To freeze: Cut the stems from the leaves and chop the stems to desired size. Cut the leaves into ribbons or squares or keep whole. Freeze leaves separately from stems. Bring salted pot of water to a boil and the leaves for 90 seconds. Douse in ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain the leaves and squeeze out moisture. Place in Ziplock freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Put in freezer. Blanch the stems separately for 2 minutes. Douse in ice water and drain before packing into separate Ziplocks.