A Pasta with Spicy Young Greens, Little Tomatoes and Chickpeas

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Dear Lynne: With greens, how do you know which ones you have to boil first and which you can just saute, or quick-cook in some way? -- Jimmi Jo in BloomfieldDear Jimmi Jo: One rule is if the stems are more than 1/4-inch thick, the greens need a pre-steam or boil to tenderize them.Like every other rule in life, there are exceptions -- chards have thick stems but tender enough to need only slow sautes, or quick braises (that is, cooked with a little liquid). Little dandelion leaves need to be tasted to see how leathery they are before deciding whether you want to try them raw, just pan-fried quickly or boiled/steamed to tenderize them. Baby collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens fall into the same category.On way to soften those in-between greens that don't need longer cooking, but could use a little tenderizing, is to wilt them in hot water. This recipe tells you what you need to know about the technique.PASTA WITH SPICY YOUNG GREENS, LITTLE TOMATOES AND CHICKPEASServes 4 to 6Squashing little, sweet grape tomatoes as they pan-fry with onions in good olive oil releases their sweet/tart juices. Add spring greens for contrast, chickpeas for meatiness and chilies for sparkle and you get a satisfying meatless supper.Do use organic ingredients in this dish if possible.3 pounds fresh semi-tender greens like a mix of chard leaves, baby dandelion, spinach, baby mustard and mizuni leaves, well-washedAbout 4 quarts boiling waterGood-tasting extra-virgin olive oil1 large red onion, thinly sliced1 pint of good-tasting grape tomatoesSalt and freshly ground black pepper1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced1/2 tightly packed teaspoon fresh oregano leaves2 fresh medium-hot to hot chilies (1 hot banana or red jalapeno pepper), seeded (or not) and finely chopped1 pound rotini or fusilli imported Italian pasta, cooked al dente just before blending with the greens6 to 8 ounces crumbled sheep-milk feta cheese or other creamy fresh cheesePlace the greens in 1 or 2 large bowls and cover with the boiling water. Let sit 2 minutes, or until barely wilted. Drain and refresh with cool water. Squeeze the greens until they are almost completely dry. Coarsely chop into more or less 1-inch pieces.Generously film a 12-inch straight-sided saute pan with the olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomatoes, salt and pepper, and saute uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to color and the tomatoes are wilted (use the back of a wooden spatula to press on the tomatoes to release their juices).Stir in the chickpeas, garlic, oregano and chilies. Cook over medium until the garlic is soft, but not colored, and the oregano is aromatic. Stir in the wilted greens and saute, uncovered, until they are heated through. Taste for seasoning. Take the pan from the heat.Cook the pasta to just tender. Save about 1/2 cup of pasta water, then quickly drain the pasta. Put the greens on medium-high heat. Stir in the pasta water and cook it down a little. Add the pasta to the greens and toss together to heat them through and blend their flavors. Add a generous amount of black pepper if needed. Turn into a serving bowl and top with crumbles of the cheese. Serve hot.Dear Lynne: Pineapple seems cheaper right now, yet I am not sure how to get a sweet one. Is there a secret here? -- Frank in MinneapolisDear Frank: Not a secret, but there is a sweetness trick. You'll need to shop two days ahead of when you want to eat the pineapple (you'll understand why in a moment).First, check labels. "Super-sweet," "extra-sweet" and "Dole Gold" pineapples do taste better if they are ripe and in good shape. (I find that organic fruit frequently delivers more flavor.)The fruit should have bright green, upright leaves, should be heavy for its size and should "give" a little when pressed. Avoid any with bruises, soft spots or a dull tired color.In fact, color tells a lot. Pineapples do not continue to ripen after picking, but chilled shipping temperatures can keep them green. As they come to room temperature, the ripe ones turn gold to golden brown. That's what you want. Finally, sniff the stem end for a fruity aroma. If it smells sweet, buy it.Now for that sweetness trick: If you keep a sweet-smelling pineapple at room temperature for a day or two, its natural acidity fades, so the fruit tastes sweeter.(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's national food show and co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions." Ask questions and find Lynne, recipes and station listings at splendidtable.org, or 800-537-5252.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)