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The green salad in this recipe calls for two types of greens, turnip and mustard. A mess of greens, whether they be turnip, collard or mustard, have been staples in the homes of African Americans for hundreds of years.

Collard leaves are large; mustards have a slightly peppery taste; and turnips are a little bitter.

Mashama Bailey, executive chef and partner at The Grey in Savannah, Georgia, is one of the most important chefs in the country. This is a dish similar to the one she made for Harlem EatUp!, where her salad was the star of the show. Later that night, she was the star of the dance floor too.

This recipe is featured in my cookbook “The Rise.”

Fish Cakes with Birmingham Greens Salad

Servings: 4

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Fish Cakes:

1 medium (6-ounce) potato, peeled and cut in half

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon curry powder

12 ounces salt cod, soaked, drained, and coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 large egg yolks

½ cup mayonnaise

Birmingham Greens Salad:

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallot

2 teaspoons sorghum

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 cups tender young mustard greens, washed and spun dry

2 cups tender young turnip greens, washed and spun dry

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans

Directions

Make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil simmers, add the onion, garlic, and salt. Cook until the onions are translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, decrease the heat to low, and cover. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the sauce has slightly reduced and no longer has a raw flavor. Taste and season with additional salt as needed. Set aside and keep warm.

Make the fish cakes: Place the potato in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and pass the potato through a ricer or fine mesh strainer. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a medium saute pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, garlic, salt and curry powder. Cook until the onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the salt cod and continue to cook until the liquid has dissipated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and add the potato, Worcestershire, lemon zest and juice, egg yolks and mayonnaise, and stir to combine. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour.

Shape the cod mixture into four patties. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, gently add the cod cakes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.

Make the salad: Combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, sorghum, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small glass jar with a lid, cover, and shake to combine.

Place the greens and pecans in a medium bowl, pour over the vinaigrette, and toss to combine.

To serve: Spoon the tomato sauce over the fish cakes and serve with a side of the greens salad

People grow houseplants for all kinds of reasons. They provide a connection to nature and can make a room feel more inviting. They’re also pretty. And if pretty is what you’re after, I’ve got some lookers for you.

Some of the most striking houseplants are succulents with unusual leaves. Unlike blooms that fade, unique foliage can steal the show year-round.

All succulents should be planted in well-draining potting mix, ideally one formulated specifically for cactuses and succulents, in a container with a drainage hole at the bottom. Let their soil dry out before watering them again.

Krinkle Kurl

One of my favorites is Krinkle Kurl (Hoya carnosa). The vining plant has thick, waxy, tightly packed, cupped leaves.

Slow-growing, it needs at least four hours of direct sunlight daily, so place it near a south-facing window or under fluorescent lights. Apply an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer diluted to half-strength every two months during spring and summer.

In a few years, small pink flowers will appear during the warmer months, but those twisted, wavy leaves are the main attraction.

Burro’s tail

Another succulent, Burro’s tail (Sedum morganianum), gets its common name from its eye-catching long stems, which are surrounded by layered silvery-blue, teardrop-shaped leaves that resemble an artichoke’s.

Place the long-living plant near a bright, south-facing window. For maximum impact, hang it from the ceiling or place it on a tall stand to allow its pendulous stems, which can reach 4 feet, to trail. Fertilize just once each in spring and summer.

Sweetheart plant

If this were a contest, sweetheart plant (Hoya kerii) would take top prize in the Cutest category. At the garden center, you might find it as a single heart-shaped leaf rooted in a small container (typically sold as a gift plant for Valentine’s Day) or as a full vining plant with thick, heart-shaped leaves growing along each stem.

Either way, the plants require bright, indirect light, so place them directly in front of a north-facing window or off to the side of a south- or west-facing one.

Use a balanced houseplant fertilizer, diluted to half-strength, every two to four weeks during spring and summer.

String of Dolphins

String of Dolphins (Curio peregrinus) is named for the shape of its curved leaves, which resemble dolphins breaching out of the water, fins and all.

The easy-care plants will perform best in a south-facing window. Water them thoroughly when their soil becomes dry, roughly once a month during fall and winter, and every week or two during spring and summer. Feed once a year with a balanced, liquid fertilizer (diluted to half-strength) as plants resume active growth in spring.

Note: String of dolphins is considered toxic to dogs and cats.

String of pearls

String of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) sports “pearls” along its vines, which can reach 3 feet long. To be honest, they look more like peas to me, but “string of peas” wouldn’t likely pack the same marketing punch. Still, I find them irresistible.

A cousin to the string of dolphins, both plants were recently recategorized into the Curio genus from the Senecio, so some plant tags still might list their old names.

Another low-maintenance plant, its only requirements are bright, indirect light, water only when its soil becomes dry, and monthly applications of a balanced liquid fertilizer (at half strength) during spring and summer (none needed in fall or winter).

Note: String of pearls is considered toxic to dogs and cats.

You have to become a little crafty at this time of year about getting vegetables onto the table in ways that still feel interesting. In many places, the cold has settled in, farmers’ market offerings have thinned out, and we’re left with the hardiest of fruits and vegetables.

Root vegetables are the stars now, but they do benefit from a bit of inspiration when figuring out how to use them.

Enter soup. Even the most stoic vegetables can be coaxed into something soft, sweet and yielding. In this Creamy Rutabaga, Parsnip and Cheddar Soup, they’re simmered until ready to be puréed into a smooth potage that warms the soul and happily anchors a meal.

This is the kind of soup you can’t stop spooning up, full of earthy flavor from rutabagas and parsnips — the kind of vegetables that linger in the produce drawer, quietly daring us to figure out their fate. But if you ignore them long enough… well, then the rutabaga wins.

Not this time. And yes, I see you too, parsnips.

The color of the cheddar cheese — white, yellow or deep orange — will affect the hue of the soup. There’s no right or wrong, just something to keep in mind. The parsley is optional, and the sour cream adds a lovely creaminess, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. This soup is forgiving, flexible and very much on your side.

If you have an immersion blender you can puree the soup right in the pot, which saves time, skips having to pull out the blender or food processor, and eliminates the need to transfer hot contents back and forth.

This could certainly be a first course, but it’s substantial and comforting enough to be the main event, especially when paired with a crisp green salad.

Rutabagas

First, some tips on choosing, storing and cooking the rutabagas:

• Pick rutabagas that feel heavy for their size with firm, smooth skin.

• Medium-size rutabagas tend to be sweeter and less woody.

• A food-grade waxy coating is normal, often added to rutabagas to extend their shelf life. Just peel it off before cooking.

• Store unpeeled, unwashed rutabagas in the refrigerator crisper. They’ll keep well for several weeks.

• If greens are attached, remove them before storing.

Prepping Rutabagas

• Trim the ends, then peel with a sharp knife or sturdy vegetable peeler.

• Cut into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate.

• Rutabagas take a bit longer than potatoes to cook, but they soften beautifully.

Creamy Rutabaga, Parsnip and Cheddar Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 large rutabagas, peeled and diced

2 parsnips, peeled and sliced

5 cups less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon pureed chipotles in adobo

1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

To serve (optional):

Chopped parsley

Sour cream or crème fraiche

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and the celery and sauté for about 4 minutes, until tender. Add the rutabagas and parsnips and stir, then pour in the broth, raise the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

2. Use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables right in the pot, or carefully transfer the vegetables and some of the liquid in batches to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, if needed, and over low heat stir in the chipotles in adobo and sprinkle in the cheese slowly, stirring as you do, until the cheese is melted. Add the sour cream and heat until heated through. Serve hot, with chopped parsley and a bloop of sour cream or crème fraiche if desired.

“Taco night” for many across the United States consists of an Americanized idea of Mexican food: ground beef cooked with a packaged seasoning mix, taco shells, lettuce, tomato and sour cream.

Let’s just say that if you’re reading this and have enjoyed a similar meal, you will be blown out of the water by this authentic version from my cookbook “Plantas: Modern Vegan Recipes for Traditional Mexican Cooking. " These tacos were a favorite of mine as a kid. I remember watching my Tía Chela making them, and they felt like such a treat. The secret here is using salsa to season your meat, rather than dried herbs and spices. It creates much juicier, deeper flavor.

Tacos Dorados de Picadillo/Crispy “Beef” Tacos

Makes 12 tacos

Ingredients

FILLING:

2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as avocado oil

½ medium white onion, diced small

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 large carrots, peeled and diced small

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced small

½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1 (12-ounce) package plant-based ground meat (such as Impossible or Beyond Meat)

¼ teaspoon sea salt

SALSA:

1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado oil

2 ripe Roma tomatoes

¼ medium white onion

1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, stemmed and seeded

2 garlic cloves, peeled

¼ cup low-sodium vegetable broth

¼ bunch cilantro

¼ teaspoon sea salt

TACOS:

12 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade

6 to 8 tablespoons neutral high-heat oil, such as avocado oil

Guacasalsa (guacamole mixed with salsa verde), for serving

Directions

1. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, carrots, and potatoes and sauté for 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and add the broth. Cover and steam for 10 to 12 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender. Add the ground meat and cook, using a spatula to break up any large clumps, for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned. Season with the salt.

2. Meanwhile, make the salsa. Heat the oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the whole tomatoes, onion quarter, serrano or jalapeño pepper, and garlic cloves and cook for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until blackened and charred (the garlic might char more quickly, after 2 to 3 minutes total). Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Add the broth, cilantro, and salt and blend on high until smooth.

3. Add the salsa to the meat and vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and add more salt to your liking.

4. To make the tacos, heat a medium skillet or comal over high heat. Add a tortilla and cook for 30 to 40 seconds on each side, then transfer to a tortilla holder or wrap in a kitchen towel. Repeat to heat the remaining tortillas.

5. Add 2 tablespoons of the picadillo mixture to one half of each tortilla and fold to close. They should stay closed as you fry them, but feel free to use toothpicks if necessary.

6. Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add a few tacos and fry for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Using a spatula, transfer the tacos to a paper towel–lined plate.

7. Serve with salsa and guacasalsa.