Eating and cooking healthy in Wilmington with seasonal produce

It’s warming up here in the Cape Fear region, which means the spring harvest is upon us. I’m currently subscribed to a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) produce box. Each week, I greet one of my local farmers and pick up a surprise, pre-paid box filled with whatever they were able to harvest that week. Sometimes it includes familiar items like strawberries, iceberg lettuce, or a fun variety of carrots. Other times, it’s something less familiar that puts my culinary skills to the test. It’s a fun challenge each week to see how I can incorporate seasonal produce into my weekly meal plan.

Last week, three standout items were radicchio, escarole, and collards. All of these are leafy greens which are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Radicchio is Native to the Mediterranean, it has been used in Italy for centuries—particularly beloved in the northern regions. Radicchio has a bold, bitter flavor, more intense than most leafy greens. It can be eaten raw or cooked, but it often benefits from a strong sweet or savory element to balance the bitterness. I made a warm salad with mine, tossing it with fresh herbs, Parmesan cheese, and segmented oranges.

Escarole is another slightly bitter leafy green, also rich in nutrients and is popular in Mediterranean regions, especially Italian cuisine. Its broad, crinkled leaves make it easy to distinguish. Like radicchio, escarole can be eaten raw or cooked and is often found in soups, salads, or sautéed with garlic, citrus, and olive oil. I would add an acid, like citrus, to balance out the flavors.

Collards might seem like a surprising addition to this list—after all, everyone around here knows about collards. Growing up in southeastern North Carolina, I didn’t realize collards were available before a frost or that they thrived in the warmer spring months. I also didn’t know there were so many ways to prepare them. While collards may taste slightly sweeter after the first frost, they’re still full of flavor in spring. They’re great in soups, make a hearty side dish when sautéed, can be tossed with pasta, or served in a family favorite at my house: beans, greens, and cornbread.

If you’re a home gardener interested in growing edible plants, all three of these greens do well in our region. Or, leave it to the professionals and visit your local farmers market to pick some up yourself. If you’re interested in signing up for a CSA yourself there are a few options locally; Feast Down East, Red Beard Farms, and Terra Vita Farms each with slightly different time frames and length of subscriptions.

Morgan King is the Family & Consumer Sciences Agent and Interim Director for N.C. Cooperative Extension - New Hanover County Center. The office is located at the Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Drive, and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can reach her at morgan_king@ncsu.edu or 910-798-7660.