You are probably thinking, “aren’t all vegetables bitter?” and you would be absolutely right. However, bitter greens come out on top. These intense greens have the innate ability to season a salad, a pasta dish, or a soup without adding any spices. However, the intensity is not for the faint of heart, putting off some who simply find the flavor to be too much. The good news is the bitterness can be tamed with the right ingredients and cooking techniques.
What are Bitter Greens?
Bitter greens are leafy greens or vegetables that have an intense bitter flavor profile. They include kale, mustard greens, collards, turnip greens, broccoli rabe, radicchio, chicory, and endive. The bitterness comes from chemical compounds called glucosinolates that can be found in the Brassica family. According to the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, these compounds have been known to have anti-cancer properties. Therefore, these greens’ mere distinctive characteristic can be enticing to cooks, dietitians, and nutritionists alike, but a nightmare for consumers.
How to Make Bitter Greens Less Intense
Add Heat
Due to the big punch from bitter greens, they need a counterpart that can play them at their own game. Chile pepper is a great additive. Chile peppers are strong enough to counteract the bitterness of the greens. User DMarie’sSpicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Parmesan recipe is a perfect example of how adding some heat can create a more cohesive dish. The spicy sausage and the red pepper flakes not only tone down the bitterness, but also the volatile “earthy” flavor this family of vegetables gives off.
Braise Them
Ever heard of “potlikker” AKA “Pot Liquor”? It’s the leftover liquid from braising collards. Yes, potlikker is very flavorful, but it results from a more practical approach. Many bitter greens such as collards, kale, and mustard greens can be very fibrous, and often braising these greens for a lengthy amount of time is essential to making them more tender. But braising has a secondary benefit too: It also helps with cutting down the bitterness.
Blanch Them
Blanching your greens is key to getting that bitterness level down. Because glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds, a lot of them are leached out into the water, allowing for a less bitter green.
Add Vinaigrette, Emphasis on “Vinegar”
Acidity can really bring a pleasant flavor out of bitter greens. If they’re being used for a salad, it’s good to add a vinaigrette with plenty of acidity to brighten it up. If you are sauteing, add some vinegar or citrus to the greens to finish them off.
Now that you have the right tools and knowledge of how to tame your bitter greens, it is time to set aside that Brassica vegetable phobia and spice up your life (pun intended).
