The Book of Greens: A Cook's Compendium of 40 Varieties, from Arugula to Watercress, with More Than 175 Recipes [A Cookbook]

by Jenn Louis, Kathleen Squires

Overview

From one of Portland, Oregon’s most acclaimed chefs comes an IACP award-winning encyclopedic reference to the world of greens, with more than 175 creative recipes for every meal of the day.

For any home cook who is stuck in a “three-green rut”—who wants to cook healthy, delicious, vegetable-focused meals, but is tired of predictable salads with kale, lettuce, cabbage, and the other usual suspects—The Book of Greens has the solution. Chef Jenn Louis has compiled more than 175 recipes for simple, show-stopping fare, from snacks to soups to mains (and even breakfast and dessert) that will inspire you to reach for new greens at the farmers’ market, or use your old standbys in new ways. Organized alphabetically by green, each entry features information on seasonality, nutrition, and prep and storage tips, along with recipes like Grilled Cabbage with Miso and Lime, Radish Greens and Mango Smoothie, and Pasta Dough with Tomato Leaves.

Winner of the 2018 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Cookbook Award for "Health & Special Diet" category

Finalist for the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Awards for "Vegetable-Focused Cooking" category

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607749844
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	04/11/2017
Pages:	328
Sales rank:	665,429
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 9.60(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

JENN LOUIS is the chef/owner of the Portland, Oregon, restaurants Lincoln and Sunshine Tavern. A Food & Wine Best New Chef and a James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for Best Chef Northwest, Louis's culinary career spans nearly two decades. In addition to operating two popular restaurants, Louis is also the proprietor of Culinary Artistry, a full-service catering company and one of the top event planning companies in Portland. Louis has appeared on Top Chef Masters, as well as ABC's The Chew, and her work has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Food + Wine, Bon Appetit, the New York Times, and Shape, among others. She has appeared at notable culinary events across the US, including the SoBe Wine & Food Festival, FEAST Portland, and the Food + Wine Classic in Aspen. Her first cookbook, Pasta by Hand, was nominated for an IACP Award.

KATHLEEN SQUIRES is a freelance food writer whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Saveur, National Geographic Traveler, Time Out New York, and New York Magazine.

Read an Excerpt

pesto 101 

One of the greatest uses of greens is making pesto. The classic Genoese sauce is made with basil, nuts, garlic, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. But it’s not just for basil. You can use countless greens to make a pesto, and it’s a great way to add fresh flavors to anything from pasta to soup to flatbreads. 

Just keep in mind a few things: 
Always use oil. 
Add lemon juice of vinegar for brightness. 
Use garlic to taste. 
Bitter greens can work well as long as they are properly balanced with fat and acid. 
For the best texture, stick to the less-watery types that I have suggested. 

NOTE: I’ve aligned my favorite flavor combinations (i.e., cilantro + pumpkin seeds + Cotija cheese), but feel free to mix and match! 

follow this basic recipe, and you have pesto. 
Combine 1/2 cup nuts, 2 cloves garlic, and 1-1/2 teaspoons salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the greens, 1/2 cup [120 ml] of olive oil, and the cheese or dairy. Continue to pulse, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the greens are coarsely chopped. Turn the processor back on and add another 1/4 cup [60 ml] olive oil and any remaining ingredients, processing until the mixture is finely chopped but not fully pureed. Turn the food processor off and scrape down the sides of the bowl several times during the process. The ingredients should be fully incorporated, with enough oil to hold the sauce together without being runny. 

To store, transfer to an airtight container and drizzle just enough oil over the top to cover. This will prevent the pesto from oxidizing and turning brown. Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight or until fully thawed.

Table of Contents

the basics 4 
how to use this book 6 
types of greens in this book 8 
notes on commonly used ingredients 10 
seasonal chart 12 
bowls 101 14 

greens 17 
Agretti 19 
Amaranth 23 
Arugula 27 
Bok Choy 33 
Broccoli Rabe 41 
Brussels Sprouts 51 
Cabbage 55 
Cardoon 63 
Celtuce 69 
Chard 77 
Chickweed 84 
Chicories 87 
Chinese Celery 104 
Chrysanthemum 107 
Collard Greens 111 
Dandelion Greens 119 
Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) 127 
Herbs 131 
Kale 145 
Lettuces 153 
Mâche 169 
Malabar Spinach 172 
Mallow 175 
Minutina 178 
Mizuna 181 
Mustard Greens 185 
Nettles 191 
New Zealand Spinach 196 
Purslane 199 
Red Orach 203 
Root, Fruit, and Vegetable Greens 207 
Seaweed 241 
Sorrel 247 
Spigarello 251 
Spinach 255 
Succulents 261 
Tatsoi 267 
Watercress 271 
Water Spinach 278 
Wild and Foraged Greens 281 

larder 291

Editorial Reviews

★ 12/05/2016
Louis, a Food & Wine Best New Chef and chef and owner of restaurants in Portland, Ore., and Los Angeles, and Squires, a winner of the M.F.K. Fisher Award for food writing, have written a comprehensive guide to over 40 varieties of leafy greens. The authors include helpful tips on how to choose, clean, and store the greens, along with often surprising nutritional information (for example, chrysanthemum leaves have more potassium per serving than a banana). The inspiring and unusual recipes make this book a great addition to anyone’s cookbook library. There are simple salads with complex flavors, such as mustard greens, aged gouda, and cashews, and carnivore-friendly main dishes that include chicken and pork belly paella with watercress and Yemeni braised beef short ribs with nettles. Cultures are mashed together in some of the recipes, with promising results: miso straciatella soup and an Italian-style kimchi made with Swiss chard both marry the flavors of Asia and Italy in a way that would make Marco Polo proud. Even a straightforward-sounding recipe such as Swiss chard frittata is bumped up to the next level with the addition of crème fraîche, pancetta, and kimchi. For the CSA-produce subscribers and enthusiastic farmers market shoppers who find themselves staring cluelessly at piles of unknown greens each week, Louis and Squires’s book is a boon. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Jenn Louis is my greens-obsessed soulmate. In this gorgeous book she painstakingly runs through every green, herb, and chicory imaginable with detailed instructions and inspired advice—not to mention an incredible array of recipes for using this ultimate superfood. Her style is so personal yet so approachable—bringing in Asian, Middle Eastern, and West Coast flavors. I can’t wait to cook from this book!”
— SUZANNE GOIN, chef and author of The A.O.C. Cookbook

“This is the only resource you’ll ever need on the myriad greens, known and unknown. It’s inspiring. It’s comprehensive. And it’s completely accessible. Jenn Louis has knocked this one out of the park. Get ready for a fun adventure eating your greens.”
— CARLA HALL, chef, restauranteur, and cohost of The Chew

“Jenn Louis’s food always startles then beguiles. Innovative, yet based in tradition, this is food you can eat every day. The Book of Greens is a smart, well-organized primer on my favorite food: greens. Jenn’s use of spice, fruit, acid, and herbs to bring a dish to life is a deeply personal signature and yields food that is bright, compelling, and delicious.”
— NANCY SINGLETON HACHISU, author of Preserving the Japanese Way

"The Book of Greens is a reminder of how wide the world of delicious plants can be—and gives us some easy, delicious ways to try them."
- ORGANIC LIFE 

"Do not set your sights on new ideas for asparagus or haricots verts if you pick up The Book of Greens by Jenn Louis, a chef and restaurateur from Portland, Ore. This beautifully photographed book is tightly focused on edible leafy plants, some of which, like arugula and romaine, you’ll find every day. Many others, including chrysanthemum greens and red orach, are rarities in most markets, though her recipes suggest substitutes."
- NEW YORK TIMES

“But even if you only make a handful of recipes from The Book of Greens to begin with, the incredible bounty of information will—if you're adventurous and resilient!—introduce you to flavor pairings, techniques, and ingredients, all while challenging your understanding of what greens can even do. And when you do come home from the market with an exciting new leafy friend, The Book of Greens will be in your library, full of suggestions for very special ways to use it.”
- FOOD52
 
"Chef Jenn Louis profiles 40 of her favorites, from basic Brussels sprouts to underutilized cardoon and celtuce. Standout recipes: Charred Cabbage with Miso and Carrot Greens Salsa Verde."
- MODERN FARMER 

From the Publisher

03/15/2017
This informative guide to greens from chef Louis (Pasta by Hand) and freelance writer Squires (Coolhaus Ice Cream Book) has a kinship with excellent titles such as Jennifer McLagan's Bitter, Diane Morgan's Roots, and Michelle McKenzie's Dandelion and Quince. These 150 recipes (e.g., radicchio hand pies with quince paste and blue cheese, sake-braised Chinese celery, and deviled eggs with dandelion greens and cornichon) showcase dozens of plants and herbs, including lesser-known varieties of celtuce, nettles, spigarello (leaf broccoli), and water spinach. This volume is arranged alphabetically by ingredient, and a handy list near the front makes it easy to browse for individual courses, vegetarian dishes, and even butter lettuce panna cotta. VERDICT Recommended for anyone who wants to explore unfamiliar greens from grocery stores and farmers markets.

Library Journal