To look forward to; New Wednesday only food vendors that will be on 13^th street

• Adaba Goodness offers organic, whole grain, dairy free, and gluten free baked goods and snacks; as well as baking mixes for making your own healthy and delicious cookies, crackers, cakes, muffins, cornbread, tea breads, bean salads, and grain salads!
• Simply Boulder Foods will wow us with their dressings, glazes, marinades, and sauces.
• Taste of Africa tempts us to experience natural and healthy food from the motherland of Nigeria.

by Carol Ann Kates

It's springtime, and local farmers are selling their first crop of baby greens. New to the green scene for many of us is a combination of dark, leafy greens called braising greens. Becoming a farmers' market staple, these mixtures include an assortment of greens from two different categories of baby greens: brassicas, which are cruciferous varieties like mustard and kale, and chenopods, which include spinach, chard, beet greens, and amaranth. Some mixtures also include baby Asian greens like mizuma or tatsoi or more unusual greens like ruffled cavolo nero (also called dinosaur kale), red dandelion, burgundy-hued amaranth, broccoli rabe, or pungent Asian greens like pak choy.

Packed with nutrition, braising greens possess a bouquet of strong, assertive flavors and often tough, fibrous leaves. Although they can be eaten raw, most braising greens are cooked to help break down their fibrous texture and bitter flavor. The older greens are, the more tough their stems and stronger their flavors. If you don't like bitter flavors or want greens that cook quickly, then the first braising greens of spring will be more to your liking. 

Braising refers to a cooking method in which tough cuts of meat or vegetables are covered and cooked in a small amount of liquid over a low heat for a long period of time. Slow cooking develops flavor and tenderizes food by breaking down its fibers.

Most greens, however, are braised by sautéing them for a brief time in a little extra virgin olive oil and garlic until they are wilted and tender.

Here in Colorado, we often prefer a southwestern flair to our meals. Following is a Mexican approach to braising greens that I think you will find unique and quite tasty. In fact, hearty greens served in corn tortillas is a traditional preparation in Toluca, located in the highlands of central Mexico. The flavor of chicken sausage I use as well as the tortillas are available at Whole Foods, although you can leave the sausage out if you prefer, substitute a different flavor, or use another kind of tortilla. That's the fun part of cooking-you can take a recipe and modify it to fit your own personal taste preferences.

Green Chile Tortillas with Braising Greens and Spicy Chicken Sausage

Serves 2 to 4

For the tortillas:

            12 (6-inch) Green Chile Flour Tortillas

If you don't have a tortilla warmer, preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Wrap 3 to 4 tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven for about 10 minutes.

For the sausage:

            2 to 3 (about ¾ to 1 pound) Habanero Green Chile Chicken Sausages

Remove casing from sausages. In a large, heavy skillet, brown sausage meat over medium heat, crumbling meat with a fork. With a slotted spoon, remove sausage to a bowl, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, and set aside.

For the veggies:

            2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

            1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

            1 large red onion, thinly sliced

            1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

            Sea salt to taste

            Freshly ground black pepper to taste

In the same skillet, place olive oil and increase heat to medium-high. With a large spoon, scrape bottom of skillet to loosen any brown bits. Add red bell pepper, red onion, and corn, and sauté until golden, but slightly crunchy, about 4 to 5 minutes.

For the braising greens:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 teaspoons minced garlic

12 ounces mixed braising greens (baby collard greens, kale, spinach, tatsoi,

          mizuma, chard, etc.), washed and cut into ½-inch slices

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place olive oil and garlic in another large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add braising greens and red pepper flakes and sauté until greens are wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

            1 cup crumbled queso fresco (You can substitute feta or goat cheese.)

Remove tortillas from aluminum foil. Layer each tortilla to taste with braising greens, veggies, browned chicken sausage, and queso fresco. Top with your favorite salsa and serve.

Selecting Braising Greens:  Braising greens taste best when young and crisp. Select greens that are free of blemishes and have good color. Greens will cook down considerably, so if you plan to cook them keep in mind that 1 pound fresh greens will yield about 2 cups cooked greens. 

Storing: Although some people recommend washing braising greens as soon as you arrive home, I prefer to wrap them in damp paper towels and place them in a perforated plastic bag before refrigerating. Greens are highly perishable, and moisture hastens their spoilage. I check the paper towels periodically and re-dampen them if necessary. Use braising greens within 2 to 3 days of purchase. 

Cleaning: Before eating, braising greens should be thoroughly cleaned as they often contain sand and dirt. Pick through them to remove any damaged, wilted, or yellowed leaves and cut out tough or stiff stems. Fill a large bowl with cold water and place the greens in the water. Use your fingers to gently swish the greens around in the water.   Any dirt or sand on the leaves will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the leaves from the water and refill the bowl with clean cold water. Repeat the washing process until no sediment appears at the bottom.

Cooking tip for eating fresh: Dry the leaves thoroughly. A salad spinner works nicely for this purpose.

Cooking tip for braising: Rinse greens, shake off excess water, but don't dry them. The additional moisture helps them wilt as they cook.

Carol Ann Kates is the author of award-winning cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market. For more information visit: www.cornermarketsecrets.com.