A guide to greens

1/10

Today’s darling salad green has always been one of the best cooking greens. The flavor mellows nicely; the texture is tender. Befitting its star status, there is a variety of kale available today, and the darkest tend to be the best flavored. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

2/10

Kale, mustard greens, collard greens or all three can be stuffed in fried corn tortillas along with cheese for this recipe. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

3/10

A Southern specialty, collards have a mild flavor, but the thick leaves have a rich, meaty texture when cooked. (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

4/10

Wonderfully peppery, mustard greens have strong flavor but a delicate texture. (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

5/10

Use mustard greens in this soup, simmering them with potatoes until they’re tender, then finishing the recipe with tender greens such as spinach or arugula. (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

6/10

Slightly bitter when raw, the sweet, earthy side of chard comes out with cooking. Red chard has a touch of beet flavor. It’s equally prized for its stalks and greens, which are usually cooked separately. (Brand X Pictures / Getty Images)

7/10

Swiss chard with golden raisins and lemon bread crumbs (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

8/10

The bitterest of the greens, with cooking it remains assertive but turns more earthy and nutty. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

9/10

Beet greens along with turnip greens are tender leaves that taste like milder versions of the roots. (Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times)

10/10

Make an aromatic oil by warming olive oil with cumin seeds, red pepper and lemon zest. Add this a teaspoon or so at a time to braising mixed greens so they absorb the flavor slowly. (Annie Wells / Los Angeles Times)

By Russ Parsons

Jan. 9, 2015 10 AM PT

Here’s a vest-pocket guide to which green is which.

Kale: Today’s darling salad green has always been one of the best cooking greens. The flavor mellows nicely; the texture is tender. Befitting its star status, there are a variety of kales available today, and the darkest tend to be the best flavored.

Collard: A Southern specialty, collards have a mild flavor, but the thick leaves have a rich, meaty texture when cooked.

Mustard: Wonderfully peppery, mustard greens have strong flavor but a delicate texture.

Chard: Slightly bitter when raw, the sweet, earthy side of chard comes out with cooking. Red chard has a touch of beet flavor. It’s equally prized for its stalks and greens, which are usually cooked separately.

Dandelion: The bitterest of the greens, with cooking it remains assertive but turns more earthy and nutty.

Turnip and beet: Tender leaves that taste like milder versions of the roots.

russ.parsons@latimes.com