Komatsuna Greens in Ginger Almond Miso Sauce

Sent to us by Janet Ballatore.

It’s hard to post something fabulous after a bake-off win, but let me introduce you to my new friend, the Komatsuna Green. This delicious little leafy thing came in my first Vegetable Husband basket (a service I’m eternally thankful to Leigh for posting about) and I knew it was the first ingredient I wanted to use this week. After a bit of research, I learned that Komatsunas are a relative of the turnip but are also called Spinach Mustards in the US. Grown almost exclusively in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and now, apparently, the state of Georgia, it’s a rich source of calcium that can be stir-fried and pickled, or used like bok choi in any dish.

I decided to stir fry it with dry-fried tofu in a ginger almond miso sauce recipe from

About.com. As much as I love cookbooks themselves, I kind of majorly love the internet as well. I would have never used this sauce otherwise. I chopped up the komatsuna greens like I would bok choi, stir-frying the stems first and then the leaves, and the recipe worked perfectly. The flavor is a bit stronger that bok choi–more green? if that’s a flavor…–and the sauce was bit too salty for me–maybe you should use a red miso instead of white–but I like the combination mostly. If you have the chance to pick up some komatsunas, do! I’d love to see them turn up in my next basket!

1 bunch Komatsuna Greens, stems and leaves separated

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 lb firm tofu

2 tablespoons soy sauce/Bragg’s Amino Acids

1 tablespoon miso

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup cooked red quinoa (or rice or other grain)

Dry fry the tofu. I divide to tofu into 2 batches to do this. After it is crisped the way you prefer it, set it aside on a plate to add to the stir-fry later. Chop the komatsuna stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Julienne the leaves.

Heat up a wok (without oil) and add the almonds. Stir-fry quickly until fragrant and toasted, about 45 seconds. Remove. Then in the wok, heat up 1-2 tbsp of sesame oil on medium heat. Add the onion, cook for 6-7 minutes or until the onion turns clear and soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the komatsuna stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.

While the komatsunas are cooking, combine the soy sauce, miso, and vinegar until smooth and set it aside. When the greens are tender, add the tofu and then drizzle with miso sauce and sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.

Saag Sauce

Here's a recipe I have been meaning to share. I use it whenever I have a selection of miscellaneous greens. Saag sauce is traditionally made with spinach, but I have been making it with Tatsoi, bok choy, beet, turnip, and radish greens, all of which come out delicious. My husband is not a huge fan of greens, but he'll eat anything I put in this recipe!

Saag sauce:

Ingredients:
-6 cups miscellaneous tender greens, washed and chopped
-1 medium onion, diced
-2 cloves garlic, diced
-1 tsp. of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
-1 cup canned diced tomatoes or 1 fresh tomato, seeded and diced.
-2 Tbsp Garam Masala (an Indian spice mix, available in most grocery stores)
-1 Tbsp tumeric
-1 Tbsp ground coriander
-1/4 c heavy cream -brown sugar and cayenne pepper to taste

Directions: In a large dutch oven, saute the onion in a little olive oil until translucent and soft. Season to taste with salt. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the ground spices and continue to cook until they release a toasted aroma, again about one minute. Stir in the greens. Cook, stirring to mix the heat through the greens until greens are wilted and becoming tender. Add the tomatoes and about 2 cups of water. Simmer until the liquid is nearly gone, the greens are softened, and the tomatoes have been incorporated. Season to taste with additional salt, cayenne, and brown sugar if necessary to take the bitter edge off of the greens (depends on which kind of greens you use). Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.

This sauce would be great with any protein in it. I tend to add canned chickpeas to keep it vegetarian. Serve over brown or white basmati rice.

Enjoy!
Becca Burnett

Yummy Tatsoi Recipe

(E-mailed to us from Laura, CSA Shareholder.)

Ingredients
6 cups tatsoi, chopped
1½ cups carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 additional tablespoon
1 tablespoon season oil
¼ onion, chopped 5 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Egg noodles

Directions
Sauté oil and garlic for 5 minutes. Add carrots and onion sauté for 5 mintues. Add tatsoi and sauté till tender. In a bowl, mix together peanut butter, white wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Poor over vegetables and fry for a few minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

Fresh Spring Kimchi Salad

This Korean kimchi salad makes a delicious spring meal when served with rice, a hard boiled egg, and if you're adventurous, a side of anchovies! Most kimchi dishes are fermented, but this dish is meant to be eaten fresh, so if you are unable to eat right away, be sure to refrigerate. Important note: This recipe is meant to be quite salty and should be served with a side such as rice. If this is not to your taste, consider using a lesser amount of fish sauce.

Fresh Spring Kimchi Salad
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients
1 bunch radish roots, thinly sliced
1 bunch radish tops, shredded
1 apple (optional), julienned
4 large garlic cloves, grated
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1½ tablespoons chili powder (or more to taste)
¼ cup fish sauce
1 to 2 heads bok choy, leaves detached from stems (can substitute with tatsoi or cabbage)

Directions
1. Mix together radish roots, apple, garlic, ginger, chili powder, and fish sauce in a bowl.
2. Add radish tops and boy choy leaves (or substitutes) to the mixture and using your hands, massage into the sauce for several minutes.
3. Let stand for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Peanut Egg Noodle Tatsoi

This recipe comes from SparkRecipes.com and was submitted by the Co-op’s Egg Manager, Steve (http://www.sparkrecipes.com/). Tatsoi is one of his favorite vegetables in the CSA shares right now, and apart from a simple sauté with garlic and olive oil, this is one of his favorite ways to prepare it!

Peanut Egg Noodle Tatsoi
Serves 4

Ingredients
6 cups tatsoi, chopped
1½ cups carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 additional tablespoon
1 tablespoon season oil
¼ onion, chopped 5 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Egg noodles

Directions
Sauté oil and garlic for 5 minutes. Add carrots and onion sauté for 5 mintues. Add tatsoi and sauté till tender. In a bowl, mix together peanut butter, white wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Poor over vegetables and fry for a few minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

Browned Butter Pasta with Tatsoi

The following recipe is courtesy of BackyardFarming Blog (http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/).

Browned Butter Pasta with Tatsoi
Serves 2

Ingredients
pasta of choice, preferably curved or with ridges
¼ cup unsalted butter
leaves of 2 to 3 bunches of tatsoi, rinsed
½ cup chopped sage
freshly grated Parmesan
lemon wedges, optional

Directions
Cook pasta to al dente in salted water. When pasta is almost done done, melt butter in a skillet. Swirl the butter in the pan as it foams. (At this point, remove pasta from the heat and drain well in a colander.) When butter begins to brown, toss in pasta and mix to coat with butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Add tatsoi and sage and cook until slightly wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Plate and serve immediately with grated Parmesan and lemon wedges on the side.

Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Tatsoi growing in a high tunnel at Hillside Organics.

Tatsoi is also known as Japanese spinach, spinach mustard, or spoon mustard, and is a hardy member of the Brassicaceae family, with the ability to withstand temperatures as low as 15 degrees F! The following tatsoi recipe is adapted from KalynsKitchen.com, and was originally published in the New York Times.

Chilled Wilted Tatsoi Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 bunch tatsoi (leaves only)
sesame seeds, for garnish

Dressing Ingredients
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Asian hot chile sauce
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill another bowl with cold water and a handful of ice cubes. Wash tatsoi leaves and cut into thick strips. Dump the leaves into boiling water, time for exactly one minute, and then drain immediately into a colander and dump into the bowl of ice water.

While the leaves are cooling in ice water, get a plastic bowl with a tight fitting lid. Mix dressing ingredients in this bowl, then drain tatsoi well and add to dressing. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or more, turning bowl over a few times so that the tatsoi remains coated with the dressing.

Toast sesame seeds for 1-2 minutes in a dry pan and sprinkle over salad. Serve immediately.