A quick word from me here. I thought I had put the saga of the trio of “red” greens behind me. But the truth is I have been thinking about that Red Mustard Gratin and why it was so blah…. You might think it’s odd that something so forgettable could stick in my craw the way it has. But as you get to know me you’ll see. That’s just how I am.

I got some great advice from imafoodblog, once again. This time Geoff. He felt that the greens “inherent mildness” was the issue. He is right, the greens got lost in all the creamy ricotta, crunchy breadcrumbs, and and salty Parmesan.

Others piped in and gave me advice about the texture. I got a lot of emails saying that the damn thing looked burnt to them. Well that’s an over statement, but I took their deeper meaning to be they thought it should be a lighter, more subtle, sophisticated dish. The gratin “format” was just too “rustic”.

I processed all this overnight and decided that I needed to do this one again. That’s right I started all over. Only this time I would not be doing a gratin. I decided to do what the Italians might call a timbale or at least my interpretation of that. I am calling it Savory Custard Timbales of Mustard Greens & Mushrooms just to cover all my bases!

January is the height of the season in Southern California for the greens we all love.

Kale, Spinach, Rapini, Chard, Mustard, Pea Tendrils. You see them this time of year at the market. They are so beautiful, like masterful Baroque still-life paintings of the Dutch Golden Age.  The intensity of detail of these greens can almost be off putting. Intricate shapes, complex gradations of color; thick, lush and vibrant. Cooking with them just makes you feel like an artist.

But if you are able to look past all the variations of green greens, you might notice another type of green entirely. And that green is RED!

You may be familiar with Red Leaf Lettuce. It’s a pretty alternative to the Green Leaf Lettuce you find in your local supermarket. Aside from its striking red blush, it tastes fairly similar to its more common green brother. Though, I swear it gets all black and slimy much quicker than the green guy.

But unlike green/red leaf lettuce, there are greens at the Farmers Market now that not only differ in their stunning red chromatics…but you will find they have a whole other flavor palate to boot. Perhaps it’s the coloration. I have researched this and cannot find a definitive answer. But, especially among the so-called bitter greens, the red varieties are often milder; sometimes noticeably sweeter. And I mean sweet like honey.