River Cottage A-Z

Mark Diacono

LATIN NAME

Mizuna and Mibuna: Brassica rapa japonica or Brassica rapa nipposinica. Giant Red Mustard: Brassica juncea. Green in Snow: Brassica juncea multiceps. Mustard Red Frills: Brassica juncea crispifolia ‘Rubra’. Kai-lan: Brassica oleracea alboglabra. Chop Suey Greens: Glebionis coronaria

SEASONALITY

Various, but many do well in the winter

It’s only the constraints of space that have grouped mizuna and the other oriental leaves together here, for, in fact, they form a diverse and fascinating corner of the leafy world. Most of them do, however, share common characteristics.

Almost all have a certain peppery spiciness that can range from the pleasantly mild (‘Mibuna’), through the delightfully, nose-ticklingly lively (‘Green in Snow’) to the downright horseradish (mature ‘Giant Red Mustard’).

All are easy to grow too: sow them straight into prepared soil or start in modules in spring, growing them in a sunny spot and spaced according to the packet’s instructions. Equally importantly, many are hardy, surviving the worst that winter can throw at them. I remember one freezing January day when the few of us that had made it to River Cottage HQ brushed away the foot of snow that sat on top of the giant red mustard plants, cut a few handfuls and wilted them to serve in rolls with hot rare beef – it was as good a lunch as I have had.

Oriental leaves are increasingly appearing in mixed salad bags: ‘Mizuna’ is the jagged-edged green leaf; the narrow, spindly purple leaf will be ‘Mustard Red Frills’; and the saw-edged balloon leaf is likely to be young ‘Giant Red Mustard’. Good as they are, this is a slender selection from the possibilities. Allow me to suggest a few of my other favourites.

‘Kai-lan’ is not peppery but seems in flavour and looks to be a cross between asparagus and sprouting broccoli and loves all the same treatments and sauces as either of its parents. ‘Chop Suey Greens’ (aka shungiku) is an edible chrysanthemum, with a most peculiar flavour – slightly medicinal, part aniseed – that certainly shouldn’t be over-used, but as a bit-part in a leafy stir-fry adds something quite wonderful. Its flowers are edible too. Green in Snow is perhaps my favourite of the oriental leaves. Mild, yet bright and characterful when young, it gathers peppery punch as it grows, allowing you to harvest it (like all oriental leaves, it takes well to cut-and-come-again) at the size that gives the flavour you require.

Raw oriental leaves make a delicious, sparing punctuation in a salad of milder leaves, and are superb wilted or stir-fried as a side veg. They share a certain robustness with leafy greens such as chard and spinach, and so take easily to pasta sauces and work well as a peppery substitute in dishes such as creamed spinach.

WILTED MIZUNA WITH CHILLI, GARLIC AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS

If you grow your own leaves, this is a great way to deal with excess – or anything that looks like it might bolt. It works beautifully with mizuna but is good with other peppery oriental leaves too. Serves 2 as a main dish with noodles or rice, 4 as a starter

50g sunflower seeds

3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

3 medium garlic cloves, sliced

1 medium-hot red chilli, deseeded (or not for more heat) and sliced

350g mizuna, leaf and stalk

Juice of 1–2 limes

Toast the seeds in a large dry frying pan over a medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add 2 tbsp of the tamari or soy and cook, tossing regularly, until the liquid has evaporated and the seeds are dark and fragrant. Remove the seeds to a plate.

Return the pan to a high heat and add the oil. When hot, toss in the garlic and chilli and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Throw in the mizuna and, using two forks or some tongs, toss well for 3–4 minutes or until the leaf is well wilted. Squeeze over some lime and the remaining tamari or soy.

Serve over rice or noodles, sprinkled with the tamari-toasted sunflower seeds and another squeeze of lime.