Micro Greens
By: Melissa Peterman

About

The smallest possible leaves of salad greens, herbs, edible flowers, and leafy vegetables.Common microgreens are micro arugula, celery, beet greens, daikon, radicchio and cress. They are the teeny, tender, first young leaves picked only weeks or a month after the seeds have been planted. Microgreens often have very strong, concentrated flavors. Chefs love using microgreens because the vibrant rainbow leaves that can add a boost of color to a dish or the concentrated flavors the eaves can provide to intensify a dish.

Information
Other names: Micros, Microgreens
Translations: Mikro Žalieji, Micro Verzilor, Micro Zeleni, Mikro Zielonych, Micro Groenen, माइक्रो ग्रीन्स, Micro Verdes, Micro зеленых, Micro Πράσινοι, مايكرو الخضر, 마이크로 녹색당, Micro zelených, Hijau Mikro, Micro gulay, 微绿党, Micro Verds, Micro Zelenih, Micro zelených, Micro Verdi, מיקרו ירקות, Micro gröna, Микро Зелени, マイクログリーンズ, Micro Verts, Micro Grünen, Micro Grønne, Micro Verdes, Micro зелених, Micro Vihreät, Микро Зелените


Physical Description
Microgreens are tender lettuce and mustard greens that are chopped off young, usually when they are only an inch or so high at the most and barely a few weeks old. They’re smaller and younger than baby greens, which tend to be harvested later when the plants have grown a good three inches tall or more. 
Colors: Green


Tasting Notes
Flavors: Slightly bitter
Mouthfeel: Tangy
Food complements: Salads
Wine complements: Pinot blanc
Beverage complements: Iced tea
Substitutes: Baby greens


Selecting and Buying
Seasonality: january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, opctober, november, december
Choosing: Look for greens that are crisp and fresh. Avoid any that have wilted leaves, discolored edges, blemishes, or slimy spots. They should have a sweet, fresh smell. If they have a sour smell, do not purchase. Head type greens should be firm and free of blemishes or damaged areas. 
Buying: Grocery store, farmer's market.  Becoming more popular, but may be hard to find in some areas. Easy to grow your own at home.
Procuring: Can easily be grown on windowsills.  Short growth time of only a couple weeks.


Preparation and Use

Cleaning:          1. Remove any damaged, wilted or yellowed leaves and cut off tough or stiff stems.
         2. Fill a large bowl with cold water and place greens in the water.
         3. Gently swish the greens around in the water and lift out. The dirt and sand will have settled to the bottom of the bowl.
         4. Empty the bowl and fill with clean water. Repeat the washing process. Repeat until no sediments remain on the bottom of the bowl when the greens are removed from the water.
         5. Larger leaf greens can be washed by holding under cold running water. Unfold any folded leaves to be sure to remove all the dirt.
         6. When clean, shake excess water from the greens. 


Conserving and Storing
When the greens are first brought home, any rubber banding or ties should be removed to avoid damage. The damaged, discolored or wilted greens should be thrown away. The greens can be stored washed or unwashed, but they must be dried properly before storing.  Once the greens have been dried properly, wrap small batches in dry paper towels and place in a resealable plastic bag. Do not overpack the greens so they will have room to spread out. Then gently press the air out of the bag and seal it. The paper towel will help to absorb moisture that may still be on the greens. Exposure to excess moisture and air will cause the greens to deteriorate quicker. After the air is removed and the bag is sealed, place it in the refrigerator crisper. The greens can be stored anywhere from 3 days to a week, depending on the type of green. Some of the delicate greens, such as mache, can only be stored for a day or two. It is best to buy the more delicate greens just before you are going to use them to ensure freshness. Greens sold with the roots still attached should be searched for insects and then the roots should be wrapped in damp paper towel. Place the bunch with wrapped roots in to a plastic bag or place the wrapped roots in a glass and cover with a plastic bag. Do not store greens next to ethylene gas producing fruits, such as apples and bananas. The ethylene gas they produce will cause premature ripening and the leaves will become spotted and they will begin to decay. It is best to store all greens for the shortest time possible to ensure freshness.


Social/Political
New method to use lettuce sprouts, popular in California.

Comments:
David Sasuga

-Microgreens are smaller than what is shown in the picture.
-Microgreens are more than just the leaves; there is always a central stem with two to four leaves attached.
-Microgreens are grown in a way that is completely different than sprouts.
David Sasuga

-Microgreens are smaller than what is shown in the picture.
-Microgreens are more than just the leaves; there is always a central stem with two to four leaves attached.
-Microgreens are grown in a way that is completely different than sprouts.