How I Cut Up Tough Greens

The bounty of summer produce is over, but here in South Carolina we find a lot of greens at the farmers’ market. That’s fine by me, because collards, chard and kale are abundant and I love them. What I don’t love is slicing them. Tearing greens with my bare hands will usually suffice, but there are times when I want strips, and I’ve finally figured out the best way to get them.

When I discovered pre-sliced collards, I was thrilled, but I craved chard and kale, too. Also, the pre-sliced collards weren’t strictly local, and I prefer to eat as close to home as possible.

For large, leafy greens with thick spines, I fold each leaf in half and slice away the spine. I can do this with three or four leaves at a time, which makes it even more convenient.

Next, I stack several leaves one on top of the other, and roll them into a tight spiral, much in the same way I roll sushi. (Light bulb moment: I wonder what would happen if I used my sushi mat to roll greens for slicing. Must try next time!) The spiral is tight, but not so tight that the leaves break, and I use my thumbs to push the roll, while my other fingers press from the other side, tightening it as I go.

The roll is easy to hold with one hand and slice with the other, as thin or as thick as I like. Now that I’ve finally cracked the code, we’re eating a lot more greens, because I’m much less likely to be lazy about making them!

What tips or techniques have changed the way you eat?