Chrysanthemum Greens
Chrysanthemum greens (shungiku) are an herbaceous, lightly bitter green. A staple in Japanese and Chinese cooking, but they slot into almost anything you'd do with asparagus or broccolini—including fish, salads, and almondine.
Storage
Just put them in a bag and keep them in the fridge—no need to fuss. If they've gone a little limp, dunk them in cold water for a few minutes to perk them back up.
Keeps For
About a week in a bag in the fridge, easy. A quick cold-water dunk revives any leaves that have started to wilt.
Flavor Profile
Young leaves are mild with grassy, slightly sweet notes. Mature leaves develop a distinctive bitter, herbaceous flavor. The leaves are slightly succulent while the stems stay crunchy even when cooked.
How to Prep
They cook incredibly fast, so don't walk away. The leaves cook quicker than the stems—if that worries you, you can separate them and give the stems a head start, but we usually don't bother and a lot of people don't. You can also eat them raw.
Ways to Cook
- 1 Lightly stir-fry with a little sesame oil—a simple, classic preparation
- 2 Sauté in butter with toasted almonds, almondine-style
- 3 Serve alongside fish
- 4 Toss young leaves raw into salads
- 5 Blanch briefly and dress with sesame sauce (goma-ae)
- 6 Add to hot pot, soups, or stews in the last minute