I love the Portuguese Kale, it's excellent, and a nice, mild flavor. But, I definitely agree with you on b. raab, it and its cousins turnip and most mustard greens are just too strong for my taste.

Some of the other greens that are good are orach, amaranth, purslane, arugula, sorrel, Malabar and New Z. Spinach, radicchio, and even collards.

Im trying amaranth this summer. Ive heard nothing but good things about it.

Yes, there is a reason why raab is never on my planting list. Mustard on steroids, and I like fall-grown mustard.

Right now the darlings of the greens patch are overwintered collards.

You will love the bok choy. Buttery-slithery mouthfeel, and it's great braised with a little sesame oil and touch o' honey.

Aww, I kinda like broccoli raab! Mine are just beginning to get their first true leaves, and I'm pretty excited.

Some people blanch it in boiling water befor cooking but I like the bitter taste. I cook it with garlic, oil, salt and pepper. When it is all coooked down I throw in cut up roasted Italian sausage and serve over pasta.

Anthony

Yes, you need to blanch it first to leech out some of the bitterness. It really is amazing.

Anthony, that sounds delicious tossed with sausage.

I love broccoli raab. I blanch it and then sautee it in olive oil with garlic and chili flakes. I've never found it to be very bitter....and I don't care for bitter.

Ania

Bitter goes great against garlic and bacon. You will never make a great pasta with sauteed lettuce or chard, only with broccoli raab.

Ill try blanching it but it was pretty strong!

Mindy - I must relate my experiences with rapini. I was really getting into sauted kale and thought I'd try this rapini.

I sauted in olive oil, then after about 2 minutes, I added a mix of soy sauce, a bit of liquid smoke, and some sanJ schezwan sauce - same as I do for most greens, added just a tad of water and cover to let it steam through for a minute or two.

I couldn't believe how strong tasting it was, and I drizzled just a bit over rice with the juices to flavor the rice. I truly thought to myself that I would never buy that again, I was going back to kale and spinach.

It must have been that I bought 2 bunches, because I had to have had it again, and I got to craving it so much it is unbelievable. I only have kale when I can't have rapini, and I have to have rapini 1-2 times per week minimum, and I make an absolute huge quantity~ about a pound, all for myself. I saute as above, serve over rice, and have a side of butter beans. That is my favorite meal. In fact - I think I'll have to go to the store and buy it tonight. I used up all my rapini in the garden 2 days ago...

But seriously I went from putting maybe 1-2 spoonfuls onto a large serving of rice, to eating about 2/3 rapini to 1/3 rice. And I tell you - I just can't enough.

There is some liver reaction to bitter, that my body must need or something. So after not liking the bitter, and my liver/gall blader going woopee about it, they must have told my mouth to love it, is all I can think.

But I tell you now - it is my favorite food, hands down.

So you didn`t like raab or mache. Anything else you grew and didn`t or did like? I found fennel to be something I wouldn`t give garden space to. We bought some at the store and grilled it. It`s not that it was gross or anything but I wasn`t wowed by it so we didn`t waste time, money or space growing it.

I love bitter greens saut�ed with bacon,Or perhaps in an Italian dish like Macorni Grill does with endive and orzo.I'm not sure what they use with it but it's so delicious and the bitterness is just right.

Jondear: i only like fennel raw with fruit! I picked and sauteed some bok choy today and that was pretty darn good. I did it with garlic ginger salt soy sauce and a little sesame oil. I cant wait to try it in a stir fry BUT i did find lots of aphids which were a pain to get off. I didnt see any on the near by kohlrabi and havent noticed it on the lettuce either. I guess aphids like it too. T

sounds awesome! The bok choy not the aphids...

I crave the bitterness of raab too. Sometimes I sweeten it with a saut�ed or roasted red bell pepper. I like it saut�ed with garlic with or without the pepper. I also like it topped with fried eggs and olive oil for breakfast.