Leafy Greens

This wonderful, creamy pie is somewhere between a savory flan and a spinach lasagne. The fillo turns into a soft, very thin pasta, so don’t expect it to be crisp and papery. It sounds complicated, but it is quite easy and really worth the labor. I am sure you will be delighted by the result. It can be made in advance and reheated. The pie is excellent when cut up into small pieces and served at a party. Use a package of fillo containing large-size sheets. (I used a 14-ounce package of sheets measuring 19 inches × 12 inches, minus 2 sheets.) The large sheets are usually sold frozen and you need to defrost them for 2 to 3 hours before using (see page 9 for information about fillo). The Turkish kasar, a sharp hard cheese, can be found in Turkish stores but mature Cheddar is equally good for the dish. From the supermarket, you can now buy packages of young spinach leaves, washed and ready to use, but you can also use not-so-young spinach and remove any thick stems, or use frozen leaf spinach.

Kisir is a salad from Gaziantep. You need the fine-ground (not medium) bulgur, which you can find in Middle Eastern stores. The chili pepper gives it a thrilling zing but you can leave it out. Serve the salad with little lettuce leaves that can be used as scoops.

Preserved lemons bring one of the defining flavors to Moroccan salads and are often used together with olives. Cook the spinach in two batches if your saucepan is not large enough for all the bulky spinach leaves. Keep back 4 or 5 whole olives as a garnish.

Use pears that are ripe but still firm (Comice is a good variety) and salad leaves such as curly endive, chicory, cress, arugula, and lamb’s lettuce (mâche). You can stick to one type only or use a mix.

Serve as a spread on whole-grain crackers, crisp lavash, or wedges of pita bread. For more information on miso, a pungent soyfood, see page 21.

Here’s a nourishing dip for whole-grain crackers or pita bread.

The addition of feta cheese gives this frittata a rich, pungent flavor.

This is good with either of these greens, but try it in late summer or early fall when gardens are overflowing with Swiss chard.

Both spinach and eggplant are compatible with curry seasoning, so teaming the two vegetables makes this stew-like side dish twice as nice. This is delicious on its own or over couscous.

In this updated version of creamed spinach, you get the goodness of soy, but not the bother of cooking a flour-thickened sauce. It’s a feast for spinach fans!

Convenient shredded coleslaw cabbage is put to good use in this simple sauté. Try to use a blend with a little red cabbage and carrot for added color. This makes a good side dish for potato dishes and veggie burgers. Use leftovers on sandwiches with soy “bacon” and deli slices.

Napa cabbage is a leafier relative of bok choy. This is compatible with Asian rice, noodle, and tofu dishes.

I just love sweet potatoes spiced with curry—what a superb fusion of flavors! This and the following recipe will help prove my point.

This recipe gives potatoes a Greek-flavored spin. It’s delicious with Warm or Cold Tomato and White Bean Soup (page 15).

This tasty Irish classic features potatoes and cabbage browned in a skillet and is embellished with lots of scallions. For a simply delicious meal, serve this with veggie burgers and a tossed salad.

A basic tossed salad is transformed into a crunchy sandwich by wrapping it up. This makes a great side dish for grain, bean, pasta, and soy entrées.

Refried beans to the rescue once again—this time in a room-temperature wrap that’s a delight to serve to lunchtime company or pack into a brown-bag lunch or picnic.

Spinach and mushrooms are nicely flavored with sharp cheddar in these delectable wraps.

In another super-easy, nearly instant tortilla recipe, chewy baked tofu stands in for chicken. You may not find this wonderful product in the supermarket; look for it in natural foods stores.

I’ve tried this pizza with frozen and fresh spinach, and while the former isn’t bad, fresh spinach makes it a delicacy. Complete the meal with one of the smoothies on pages 245 to 246 and a bountiful tossed salad.