Field Report: European Gourmet Greens
Nutrition and Flavor from Across the Atlantic
by Micaela Colley, Bulk Seed Representative

Throughout history greens have played a prominent role in the European diet —fresh, raw, braised, wilted, fried, stewed, and even pickled. Several greens native to Europe were originally harvested from the wild, then later domesticated, grown in gardens, and bred into modern crops. These crops evolved with the various European cultures and the development of regional cuisines. From wild or garden harvests, greens developed into seasonal dishes, which followed their local availability. It is hard to think of arugula without thinking of Italy or of sorrel without thinking of French sorrel soup. Other greens were adopted from foreign cultures long ago and integrated into European traditional diets. For example, spinach came from Persia and the Middle East during the Middle Ages and is now an integral part of traditional Italian cooking.

With an increasing awareness of health and diet over the last two decades, the American palette has gained an appreciation for fresh greens. All dark leafy greens are high in antioxidants including riboflavin, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin E. With this trend in diet, the United States has looked abroad, primarily to China and Europe, for a diversity of varieties and cooking styles beyond iceberg lettuce and overcooked kale. Many varieties became popularized in the familiar mesclun salad mixes (adopted from the French). Today farmers' markets, restaurants, and grocery stores feature a wide variety of European greens in baby- and full-sized bunches, including kale, chard, arugula, cress, chicory, sorrel and even mâche. Specialty greens have become an important crop for both small and large-scale organic producers. In considering which crops to grow and how to market them, it is valuable to consider their seasonality and horticultural requirements. It is also worth revisiting the traditional European style of cooking and gardening from which many of our favorite varieties evolved.

Many familiar greens in the brassica family are native to northern Europe or the Mediterranean including kale, collards, cabbage and arugula. Kale of the species Brassica oleraceae, including Scotch and curly type kales as well as collards, are thought to be the earliest types of cultivated brassicas as they are very similar to wild brassicas. Siberian kales were developed in eastern Europe and found their way to the Mediterranean. They belong to the species Brassica napus and include Red Russian, Siberian, and Lacinato varieties. Kales are extremely cold hardy, serving as a consistent food source in the cold northern European climates where they are often added to soups and stews or turned into the classic eastern European sauerkraut. In Italy, the heirloom variety Lacinato is traditionally cooked by slowly braising in oil with herbs and broths. Kales have the best market in the fall, winter, and early spring as they lend themselves to warm, hearty dishes. They are also sweeter and tenderer when grown in cool weather. Collards, widely grown in the South, are more heat tolerant than most kales.

Kale is commonly sown as early as possible in late winter for a spring crop and in July or August for fall greens and overwintering. Often started in flats then transplanted, kale may also be direct seeded and thinned to one foot spacing for full plants or harvested at closer spacing for baby greens. Young kale greens make a tender but sturdy baby braising mix or when very young make a fine addition to mesclun mixes. Their cold hardiness makes them good for fall and winter salads when lettuces have slowed in growth.

The bittersweet flavor and succulent texture of chicories, radicchios and endives make them a European favorite, gaining popularity in the United States. There are two main species in the genus Cichorium. The first, C. intybus, includes the popular red, round, heading radicchios, leafy cutting chicories, and dandelion chicories often referred to as "asparagus chicory" because of their succulent, asparagus-like stems and dandelion leaves. C. intybus also includes Witloof or Belgian endive grown for its conical blanched hearts. Witloof means "white leaf" in Flemish. The second species, Cichorium endivia, includes curly endive, often called frisée, and escaroles, loose-heading endives. All of these types are known for their bitter flavor, sometimes with an element of sweetness, and their sturdy leaves, which are eaten raw in salads, sautéed, braised, grilled, or added to soups.

Radicchio, a staple in the Italian garden, has become a popular component of mesclun mixes, but is traditionally favored in Italy for its use in antipastos, salads, and risottos. Radicchios are commonly named after their Italian cities of origin: Radicchio di Treviso is the upright type with long, thin, pointed leaves, Radicchio di Verona is the common round, compact red, marbled heads, and Radicchio di Scoltellato has red and green leaves that form rosettes that grow back from multiple cuttings.

Leaf chicories and curly endives are commonly used in France and Italy in fresh salads or braised with onions, wine, and broths. Seeds of Change currently offers the traditional frilly Très fin Mariachère Frissée and the curly Bellesque endive, two varieties of endive favored for salads and braising. All members of this genus are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron.

Chicories, endives, and radicchios prefer cool growing conditions and are sweetest harvested in the fall or early spring. All can be direct sown or transplanted like lettuce. Endive and escaroles can easily be spring planted, but radicchios tend to bolt in summer heat and are best planted midsummer for a fall harvest or early fall for a spring harvest.

Swiss chard was derived from wild beets and is native to the eastern and southern coasts of Europe as well as North Africa and Asia. Chard was grown by the early Greeks and Romans and by the English as early as the 16th century. Chard leaves have long been a favorite cooking green throughout Europe, but the stalks are particularly favored in France where they are blanched and braised. Witerbi chard, a Seeds of Change variety, has very large, broad, succulent stalks and is an excellent variety for this application. Highly nutritious, chard is a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium, potassium, iron, riboflavin, calcium, and vitamin B.

Chard is commonly direct sown in spring around April and successively resown in midsummer for a fall harvest. However, if sown while evening temperatures are still cold, they may acquire enough chilling or vernalization to induce bolting.

Besides chicories, kales, and chards, a wide diversity of salad and cooking greens that we now find in mesclun mixes or specialty greens selections have old roots in the European diet. Peppery arugula (Eruca vesicaria), which has become a staple of mesclun salads, is traditionally mixed in salads in the south of France where it is called roquette. In England arugula is known as rocket. Arugula is also a staple of the Italian fresh salads, often mixed with radicchio creating a bold spicy-bitter mix. Mesclun (which means "mixture") salads were originally made from the thinnings of garden greens.

Mâche (Valerianella locusta), the delicate, mild-flavored green revered in French and English salads, is commonly know as corn salad due to a history of wild harvesting. In England it was commonly collected as a wild plant in wheat fields (in England wheat is known as corn). Mâche is highly heat sensitive and requires consistent watering. It is also very delicate, requiring careful handling and packaging. These traits along with its lack of availability are why Mâche often brings 12–15 dollars per pound in fresh markets.

Sorrel (Rumex acetosa), with its tangy punch, is the key ingredient in the classic French sorrel soup. A perennial, sorrel is often started as a transplant, but once established will produce for years.

Persian garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is another fine specialty green with history in Europe. This heirloom green is native to Persia and spread to India, Syria, Greece and Egypt. It was adopted by English traders and commonly grown in English gardens. Its spicy flavor is often used in salads in France and England or enjoyed on buttered bread. It is direct seeded early spring and fall as it bolts quickly in summer heat.

At Seeds of Change, Gourmet Greens have always been an integral part of our garden and bulk seed offerings. Please visit our garden and bulk seed section to read more or purchase seed of the following European greens varieties.

Kales: Lacinato, Red Russian, Red Ursa, True Siberian, White Russian
Chicories, Endives, Radiccios: Wild Garden Chicory, Early Palla Rossa Radicchio, Très fin Mariachère Frissée, Bellesque Endive
Chards: Broadstem Green, Golden, Rhubarb, Witerbi Mangold
Other European Greens: Persian Garden Cress, Sorrel, Arugula, Mesclun Salad Mix

Enjoy the diversity of flavor and nutrition of these fine European greens.

Micaela Colley
Seeds of Change Bulk Seed Field Representative

Literature Sources:
Phillips, Roger, and Martyn Rix. 1973. The Random House Book of Vegetables. NY, New York: Random House Inc.

Merrill, Richard, and Joe Ortiz. 2000. The Gardener's Table: A Guide to Natural Vegetable Growing and Cooking. Berkley, CA: Ten Speed Press.

Belsinger, Susan, and Carolyn Dille. 1994. The Greens Book. Interweave Press.

Fortin, Francois (Editor). 1996. The Visual Food Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Wiley Publishing.

Reichl, Ruth (Editor). 2004. The Gourmet Cookbook. New York, NY: Conde Naste Publishing.

Ingram, Christine. 1996. Vegetables: An A-Z Reference and Cooks Kitchen Bible. New York. NY: Ames Publishing Limited.

Production Resources/Links:
Oregon State University Production Guide for Kale and Collards: http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/NWREC/collards.html

Oregon State University Production Guide for Greens including Arugula, Swiss Chard, Endive, Mustard Greens and Turnip Greens: http://oregonstate.edu/Dept/NWREC/greens.html


Photo captions: (1) Field of greens with Siberian kale and Rhubarb chard (2) Close up of Lacinato kale (3) Leaves of curly endive (4) Steve Peters in a field of chard (5) Persian garden cress.