• ¼ c. well stirred tahini

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated or pounded to a smooth paste

• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• For the soup:

• 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

• 12 ounces baby spinach (about 12 packed cups)

• 4 cups roughly chopped cilantro (from 2 large bunches)

• 1/4 cup well-stirred tahini

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed

1.     First, make the sauce: With a whisk, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin, and red-pepper flakes with 2 tablespoons of water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as needed to achieve a drizzle-able consistency.

2.     Next, make the soup: Add the stock to a Dutch oven or heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the spinach, cilantro, tahini, and salt, and return to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.

3.     Use an immersion blender to purée the soup (or transfer to a standard blender and purée, taking care to leave the center of the lid open and covered with a towel as you blend). Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and lemon, if desired.

4.     Serve the soup immediately and drizzle with the tahini sauce. Cover and refrigerate the remaining soup and sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze the soup for up to 1 month.

Kuku- Persian frittata

Ingredients

5

Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1

medium onion, finely chopped

1

medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped

5

large eggs

1½

tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt

1

tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1

tsp. baking powder

½

tsp. ground turmeric

1½

cups finely chopped cilantro

1½

cups finely chopped dill

1½

cups finely chopped flatleaf parsley

1

Tbsp. dried fenugreek leaves

Preparation

• Step 1

• Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a 10" skillet over medium. Cook 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and 1 medium leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not brown, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Wipe out skillet; set aside.

• Step 2

• Whisk 5 large eggs, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp. baking powder, and ½ tsp. ground turmeric in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, mix in reserved onion mixture, 1½ cups finely chopped cilantro, 1½ cups finely chopped dill, 1½ cups finely chopped parsley, and 1 Tbsp. dried fenugreek leaves. (Egg mixture should look thick and very green.)

• Step 3

• Preheat broiler. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in same skillet over medium. Pour in egg mixture, spreading evenly across pan with spatula. Cover and cook until bottom is just set, 8–10 minutes. Uncover and broil, watching carefully, until top is set, about 1 minute. Let cool slightly, then slide kuku sabzi onto a platter.

If this is your first year of a CSA,  the volume of greens can be a bit daunting.  Not only are there all those glorious salad greens,  but sometimes you get “braising greens mix,”  and then you get things like chard,  kale, collard greens and mustard..and then there are all those vegetables that come with their own greens—beets greens,  broccoli and cauliflower leaves,  radish greens, turnip greens—all of which are delicious and nutritious.  The 

Sue’s Greens Primer has some basic tips on how to prepare/store/save those yummy greens.  I have to tell you that my 20 year old daughter who hates vegetables,  hates to cook,  and lives in an “efficiency” apartment with 2 burners cooks herself “Beans and Greens” on a regular basis!!

So—read the Greens Primer first,  and then here are some additional tips and recipes:

Tip:  Swiss Chard stems.  Swiss chard comes with beautiful stems,  either creamy white or glorious rainbow colored.  Separate the stems from the leaves.  You can either slice the stems very finely and saute until tender and THEN add the greens and saute,  or you can cut the stems into 1-2” chunks,  boil in water until tender,  drain and then puree with a bit of garlic,  lemon and some tahini as sort of a humus/baba ghanouj dip.

Kale and collard stems:  particularly in the early part of the season,  when things are cooler,  these stems are quite succulent and sweet,  so you do not need to discard—just chop very finely and saute for a few minutes before you add the more tender leaves.

My 2 favorite recipes for any greens 2021:

Provencal Greens Soup

This is so wonderful and delicious,  especially if you purchased farm fresh eggs!

Serves 4

6 cups (or so) coarsely chopped greens

2 leeks,  washed and thinly sliced

2-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Salt,  pepper

2 Tbs olive oil

6 c. water or broth

2 eggs.

4 thick slices of good bread,  toasted

1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medim heat, then saute the leeks until tender.  Add the garlic and cook a minute or two more.  Stir in the chopped greens until wilted.  Add the water or broth and simmer about 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Beat the eggs well in a small bowl.  Gradually beat in about 1/2 c of the hot soup broth,  a tablespoon at a time,  so that the eggs heat through but don’t curdle.  Turn the soup down to low heat and stir in the egg mixture and heat through.

In eat bowl place a chunk of toasted bread,  cover with grated cheese,  and then slowly pour the soup over.  

Greens with Farro,  Pine Nuts and Tahini Sauce

3 c. cooked farro (Trader Jopped coe’s has a par-cooked that cooks up faster;  you can also get it bulk at Winco;  or use brown rice)

8 oz finely chopped greens—kale,  chard,  arugula or mustard

1/2 c EVOO

freshly ground pepper

juice of one lemon (more to taste)

1/4 c tahini

1 tsp maple syrup in  individual bowls, 

1 clove minced or pressed garlic

1/2 c pine nuts, toasted

Mix the greens, 1/2 of the lemon juice, farro and 1/4 c EVOO together in a bowl.   In a separate small bowl make the tahini sauce: stir together the tahini,  remaining 1/4 c EVOO, remaining 1/2 lemon juice, maple syrup and garlic.  Add 2 Tbs warm water,  stir well and then add more warm water by the tablespoonful until sauce is thick but pourable.  

When ready to serve,  spoon the greens and grains into individual bowls, drizzle the tahini sauce over and sprinkle with pine nuts.