Mustard Greens

“Mustard greens” means different things to different people because the varieties can be dark, light, short, fat, smooth, curly, and so on. The kind most common in our markets in the United States has oval leaves of brilliant parrot or emerald green, frilled or scalloped around the edge, attached to fairly long stems. Rather soft and thin, with a slightly fuzzy finish and crinkly texture, they are cultivated and cooked in the largest volume. (The thick, smooth, swirling leaves of crispy, ultra-strong Chinese mustard greens appear exclusively in Oriental markets.) Sharp and pungent, mustard greens are the most powerful of the so-called bitter greens—with a taste very like that of prepared mustard, a hint of radish, and pleasant perfumy edge.