My friend Marina, who grew up in France, often jokes with her husband about the advice Americans offer for preparing leafy greens. They both volunteer at their local food co-op, and whenever they ask for a recipe, people always say, "Just sauté it in olive oil with garlic." This anecdote was on my mind a few months ago when I was faced with a head of beet greens from a bunch of beets I'd bought at the market. My thoughts wandered to creamed spinach. I figured "Why not?" and guessed that a warm bath in some milk might tame their bitterness while softening them up, too. A little bit of grated potato is my secret for thickening this up a bit. A generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg makes the whole dish sparkle.

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