Mustard Stems

We've been trained to strip leafy greens from their stems before cleaning and cooking them. How many of us blindly toss those stems into the trash? We separate the leaves and stems because they cook differently, not because one has more value than the other. Served raw and thinly sliced sliced, broccoli stems can add crunch, sweetness and texture to a salad. Moist, gentle cooking changes seemingly tough, stringy vegetable stalks into tender bites that are full of earthy flavor. Braising mustard stems can change them into something sweet and almost delicate, belying their inherent sharp, slightly astringent profile. So the next time your're prepping your veggies, take a moment to appreciate their beauty and think about how you can take the trimmings and transform them into something special.