PARBOILED GREENS--DO NOT REFRIGERATE already cooked dark green leafy veg?

[erica]

I remember reading that cooked greens suffer from being refrigerated. For example, I believe Marcella Hazan admonishes in one of her books not to refrigerate dark greens after cooking.

I've just parboiled a bunch of broccoli rabe, intending to use with sausage in a pasta dish for tonight's dinner. They have been shocked in ice water and are now cool and sitting in a plastic container.

At the last minute, plans changed and I will be making the dish tomorrow night instead of tonight. I am tempted to leave the already cooked rabe in a container on the counter until tomorrow night.

Mistake? Why?

Many thanks!

[Full tummy]

Well, maybe in an ideal world, and as much as I love many of MH's recipes, I also don't see myself peeling the peppers in all the recipes, as she does... Yes, it would probably taste better, and there would be less of that plasticky skin, but, sorry, peeling peppers doesn't work for me. And, sometimes neither does arranging everything perfectly, logistically, so that greens don't have to be refrigerated.

I eat cooked, leftover greens all the time and don't notice any difference, unless they're overcooked to begin with. As long as the broccoli rabe is still reasonably crisp, and it's not sitting in oil, and you're reheating it with your food tomorrow, and you didn't--and don't--overcook it, I don't think you'll notice a difference, either.

[Cherylptw]

I've never heard of not refrigerating cooked food whether it be greens or any other cooked item and I've been in the food business for over 30 years. That is especially not safe in hot weather because of bacteria so I wouldn't ever take a chance.

I'm curious to know according to Marcella Hazan, in what way would the item suffer?

[another_adam]

While I do believe that some foods do suffer irrevocably from refrigeration (especially starches), I've never had any problem at all with green vegetables-- and rabe, in particular, can be cooled and quickly reheated with great results, in my experience!

[erica]

I think that she meant that the taste would suffer..that they would not taste as fresh....

It is not hot at all here now--do you think anything would happen to the taste if I left them out on the counter in a container overnight? I am not really worried about bacteria--just want the best taste tomorrow night..