Leaf the Stem Alone!

There is a problem we have when sautéing greens. The stems.

They’re fibrous and chewy. And not very tasty. So we remove them from the leaves and chuck them right into the trash. Wouldn’t want to gnaw at those suckers while trying to enjoy a forkful of greens.

But how would you feel if someone threw you in the trash because you were a little tough on the outside? 😢

Don’t throw your stems away.

They just need a little more love than their leafy counterparts. 💕

Why use the stems?

Stems provide a crunchy contrast to the leaves. And when you have a one-note texture with something like sautéed greens, contrast is queen (Daenerys pre-season 8 queen status 🐉).

Why not just throw them in the pan with leaves?

Stems are tough when raw. Leaves are tender. So think of them as separate vegetables.

If you throw them in the pan at the same time, you’ll end up with undercooked stems and overcooked, turned-to-mush leaves. Instead, cook them separately.

1st consider the thickness

Depending on the type of green, the maturity of it, and even the season it was grown in, the stems vary in how thick and tough they are.

A good practice to get into is to taste the stems raw. You’ll get a good idea of how much cooking they might need. Obviously the thicker and tougher, the more cooking time they will need.

Ways to “cook” stems

Based on how you want to amplify your sautéed greens, you can decide how to cook the stems.

Sautéing

This is the simplest approach since you’re already sautéing the leaves. Slice your stems thinly and add them to the pan quickly after your aromatics like garlic, shallot, and spices.

This is your chance to not only soften the stems but also brown them. A pinch of salt here helps too. Stems actually cook decently quickly when they are in the pan on their own. So watch them so they don’t over soften. You still want them crisp. Just not chewy.

Pickling

I believe you should always finish sautéed green with some form of acid to bring in some brightness. Here’s something else I picked up from Caroline Glover. Using pickled stems is a 2 for 1. It adds a nice textural element to your greens, and it brings in that acid we want.

How do you pickle them?

Slice the stems thick enough so they hold up in the pickling liquid. Probably ½ to ¾ of an inch. Then cover them with 1 part water, 1 part vinegar, a healthy pinch of salt, and a touch of sugar (to mellow the bitterness). You can use different kinds of vinegar and seasoning to add other flavors if you so wish! The world is your oyster 🦪.

Roasting

If you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of roasting vegetables. What I love about roasting the stems is that you can get a smoky, charred flavor. By mixing them with the roasted stems, you layer in that flavor to the sautéed greens.

You can roast the stems just like any other vegetable—a hot oven, a sheet pan, salt, and some form of fat. You can check out this post for a more in-depth walkthrough. I like to roast the stems whole so they hold up longer in the oven. This gives them more time to develop a deep browning on the outside. If the stems aren’t too thick, you could even broil them very quickly. Once they are cooked to perfection, chop them up, and incorporate them into your greens.

Where did all this stem from?

Hey! The food puns haven’t been as bad as they were in the last post.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about ways to use the whole vegetable. It’s a very “chef-y” thing to do. But to me, it’s just a fun challenge. How do you take something that is normally tossed, and make it delicious?

I encourage you to try it yourself. Whether it’s turning broccoli stems into a pasta sauce or using the tough ends of asparagus for homemade stock, challenge yourself to use something you might otherwise toss.