3. The cooking of greens, both wild and cultivated, is not only simple
but practically the same for all varieties. When they are not used as a
salad vegetable, they are merely boiled until tender and then dressed in
any desired way. Some kinds admit of special preparation, and wherever
this is the case specific directions are given under the particular
variety, but even in such an event the preliminary preparation is
the same.
[Illustration: FIG. 1]
To prepare greens, look them over carefully, remove any decayed or
withered parts, cut off the leaves, and wash in fresh cold water. Remove
from the water and wash again, and do this as many times as seems
necessary to remove all the sand and grit that the stalks contain. An
important point to remember is that the greens should not be cleansed by
pouring the water off, as the sand will then remain in the pan and is
likely to mix with the greens again. When they are thoroughly washed,
put them on to cook in a saucepan or a similar utensil. If they are
young and tender, they should be cooked as much as possible in their own
juice in order to retain all the valuable mineral salts they contain,
only enough water being added to start the cooking without burning. In
the case of greens that are very strong in flavor, it will be necessary
to cook them in a larger quantity of water and then pour off what
remains after cooking. When they have cooked until they are tender,
season them if necessary, and add butter to give them flavor and
increase their food value. Vinegar or a slice of lemon adds much to the
flavor of greens.