Ruffly green kale leaves, purple hon tsai tais
Mustards that bring stinging tears to your eyes
Bok choy and tat soi from Asian cuisines…
These are a few of My Favorite Greens

Swiss chard and parmesan baked au gratin
Dandelion swiftly sautéed in a pan
Bitter mizuna stirred into white beans
These are a few of my favorite greens

BRUSSELKALE
Brassica oleracea

BrusselKale, a cross between brussels sprouts and kale, is now appearing in farmers markets and on restaurant menus. Like tiny, loose cabbage heads, tufts of tender leaves spring from purple stems. Cooked, the leaves are pleasantly bitter, while the stem is meaty and mild.

“People love it,” says Thi Squire of Rock Garden Herbs, the Miami grower introducing this new hybrid. “It’s converted people who don’t like kale or brussels sprouts. They can’t understand how it could be created without GMO.” The tasty hybrid also packs twice as much vitamins B6 and C as brussels sprouts.

» Find BrusselKale at Milam’s Markets in Coconut Grove and Sunny Isles Beach. Look for BrusselKale on Facebook.

Cooking with BrusselKale

Prepare these as you would brussels sprouts or kale. Here are some ideas.

BAKED: Toss with olive oil, minced garlic and sea salt. Spread on a cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes at 350°. Leaves will be crunchy and the sprout will be soft.

ASIAN: Steam BrusselKale for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 4 tablespoons oil and stir-fry 1 clove garlic, minced and a 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated, for a minute. Add BrusselKale and stir-fry for a few seconds. Season with soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds.

FRENCH SORREL
Rumex acetosa

This tangy green gets its lemony flavor from oxalic acid, adding bright, sour notes to salads, soups, egg dishes, even stews. Russians, who foraged for wild sorrel growing in forests, used it in soups, and the French include sorrel in fine sauces and other classic dishes. In South Florida, Mr. Green Dean, who sells out 40 pounds a week at farmers markets, calls sorrel “sweet, sour, lemon all in one bite. Kids eat it like candy.” Don’t confuse it with the Jamaican drink of the same name, made from Hibiscus sabdariffa.

» Mr. Green Dean (greendeansfarm.com) and Urban Oasis Project grow French sorrel. Find it at farmers markets or where specialty herbs are sold.

Cooking with French Sorrel

“I want sorrel to be a staple ingredient in my kitchen,” says chef Maria Anselmo, HHC, AADP, who develops recipes for The Urban Farmer in Oakland Park and teaches raw food classes at the Urban Farming Institute. She created these recipes to showcase sorrel’s fresh, distinctive flavor.

SORREL & SPRING PEA SOUP
BROILED WILD SALMON WITH SORREL WINE SAUCE
RUSTIC PIZZA WITH POTATOES, ONION, GOAT CHEESE AND SORREL PESTO