List all recipes for: Greens to Cook 
Sorrel Omelet
Make one omelet for each serving. You can use 1, 2, 3 or 4 eggs, depending on the appetite!
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 cup sorrel, cleaned and trimmed
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 tsp salt
Shred sorrel. In a heavy pan, heat half the butter and add sorrel and salt. Cook for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender. Cool a few minutes. Gently whisk the eggs and water in a bowl, until just combined. Add the sorrel mixture and combine. Season well with salt, pepper and a few red pepper flakes, if desired. Add the remaining butter to a omelet pan and heat until butter just until it begins to brown. Add the egg mixture, shaking pan to spread evenly. Let cook until beginning to set around the edges, lift the edges with a spatula to let uncooked eggs flow under. Shake the pan often to keep the omelet loose in the pan. Let cook until eggs are set up do not overcook. Fold the omelet over in half, tip onto a serving plate and serve.
Bean and Kale Soup #1
1/2 lb. dried Great Northern beans
Water as needed
Olive oil as needed
1 onion, chopped
2 small carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
6 cups shredded greens (kale, chard, collards)
1 boiling potato, diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
Place beans in large saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Let stand at room temperature overnight.
Drain beans and return to saucepan. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until tender, add more boiling water if necessary to keep the beans covered. Drain and reserve liquid. Transfer half of beans to food processor or blender and puree. Reserve remaining whole beans. Heat 1/4 cup oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and sauté 5 minutes. Stir in kale, potato, pureed beans and enough reserved bean cooking liquid and water to make 6 cups. Heat over medium heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add chard, tomato, garlic, rosemary, parsley, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until chard is tender and flavors are well blended, at least 1 hour, adding additional bean liquid if soup is too thick. (Soup should be quite thick.) Stir in reserved whole beans and simmer until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes. (Can be cooled and refrigerated overnight.) Ladle into heated soup bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Top each bowl of soup with a spoonful of olive oil, if desired.
Bean and Kale Soup #2
1 bunch kale, trimmed
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus additional to taste
2 flat anchovy fillets
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or dried
1/3 cup olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 cup cooked small white beans or drained and rinsed canned beans
4 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup small shell macaroni
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
In a medium saucepan, cook the kale with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water and the salt over medium heat until tender. Drain the kale, reserving any liquid that remains. Coarsely chop the kale. Very finely chop anchovies together with the rosemary. In a medium saucepan, stir together the oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is pale gold, about 10 minutes. Stir in the anchovies and rosemary. Cook, stirring for 1minute. Discard the garlic. Stir in the kale and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to thoroughly coat it with the oil. Stir in the beans. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved cooking liquid and the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and stir in the macaroni. Boil for 6 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Pass Parmesan cheese at the table.
Braised Kale
2 bunches kale
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste
Hot pepper flakes to taste
1/2 cup turkey stock or chicken broth or water
Using a sharp knife or scissors, carefully cut the stem out of each of the kale leaves. Wash the leaves well and spin dry. Stack them and cut crosswise into ½ inch strips. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and sprinkle with about a teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring until the garlic softens, about 3 minutes. Add the kale, a large handful at a time, stirring until the leaves wilt before adding more. When all the leaves are in the pan, cook stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Add a sprinkling of pepper flakes and the stock, stir well and reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and cook stirring occasionally, until it is cooked, about 20 minutes. Uncover the pan, raise the heat and cook the remaining liquid down until the pan is nearly dry. Season with more salt or hot pepper flakes to taste. Serve hot.
Braising Greens and Pasta
It couldn’t be easier, this dish makes a delicious light dinner.
Wash the greens thoroughly and spin dry. Chop but keep in mind they shrink as they steam so chop roughly. Mince one or two cloves of garlic, depending on your preference for garlic. Boil slightly slated water and cook pasta. Any pasta you have on hand will do. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sauté garlic for 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. As oil becomes infused with the garlic, toss in the greens and stir until wilted. Drain and rinse the cooked pasta and toss in the pan with the greens. Serve hot sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Bread Pudding with Greens and Bacon
Consider this recipe as a template for multiple variations. It’s great with any greens you have on hand. Substitute any leftover meat for bacon. The quality of the bread is important, use something substantial like a good French or Italian bread.
3 ½ cups whole milk
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch greens, sliced crosswise in to ½ inch pieces (about 9 cups)
2 shallots or other onion, minced
6 eggs
8 ounces fresh goat cheese
8 cups stale bread, crust left on and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Heat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9 by 13 inch baking dish. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, garlic and black pepper. Heat over high heat until just before the milk reaches a simmer. Remove from the heat and cool.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally until crisp. When the bacon is cooked, keep the pan on the heat and add the olive oil, greens and shallot. Stir until the greens are wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the cooled milk, the cheese and whisk until combined. Stir in the bread, greens mixture and lemon zest. Mix well and pour into baking dish, pressing down to make sure the bread is submerged. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes.
Bake for 35 minutes, until golden brown.
Broccoli Raab ( pronounced Rob), Rapini
This recipe comes from my friend Don Speranza who with his lovely wife Kitty, has a fabulous B&B, The Inn at Crippen Creek Farm.
Clean and trim the stems and leaves from a bunch of broccoli raab. Cut stems and leaves crosswise into 2-inch pieces and drop them into salted boiling water. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and remove with slotted spoon. Drain well. Heat ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil with 4 cloves of minced garlic in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli raab and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Serve as a side dish, or better yet, toss with your favorite cooked pasta and sprinkle with grated Romano cheese. Delizioso!
For a heartier version, add some browned Italian sausage. Serve with a green salad, focaccia and a glass of red wine and you'll think you've been transported to Italy. Buon Appetito!
Broccoli Raab with Bacon
Some people like to blanch their broccoli raab first, to reduce bitterness. I don’t feel this is necessary if your greens are fresh and young. Suit yourself! For this recipe, if you do not blanch, cook the greens longer in the skillet, about 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to create steam.
1 ½ pound broccoli raab
4 slices bacon
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to suit your taste)
Salt to taste
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the greens and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and coarsely chop into 3 inch pieces. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the cooked broccoli raab to the skill and stir in the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring about 2 minutes until hot. Crumble the bacon and toss with the greens. Add salt if needed.
Broccoli Raab with Lemon
1 lb broccoli raab
3 Tbsp. of olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 fresh lemon
Clean and trim the stems from the broccoli raab. Heat oil, add garlic and sauté briefly. Add broccoli raab, salt and pepper then stir and cook until just tender. Place in serving dish and drizzle with lemon juice.
Broccoli Raab with Lemon Vinaigrette
Wash the greens well and remove the stems. Cut the leaves crosswise into shreds (chiffonade) and blanch in boiling salted water until barely tender (about 4 minutes). Remove from water and drain well. While warm, pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the greens. Let sit until room temperature before serving.
Lemon Vinaigrette
1 clove garlic chopped
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbls lemon juice
¼ tsp Dijon mustard
9 Tbls olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Mince garlic and salt together. Whisk in lemon juice and mustard. Gradually whisk in oil. Grind pepper on at the last.
Brown Rice with Mustard Greens
1 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 big bunch mustard greens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Cook the rice according to package directions for 40 minutes.
Cut stems from mustard greens and wash leaves well. Cut into ribbons ½ inch wide and rinse again. Warm olive oil in a wide sauté pan, add slightly wet greens and gently cook, covered, for 4 to 67 minutes or until greens begin to turn tender. Add garlic, ginger, and cumin raise heat and cook another 2 minutes or until liquid reduces slightly. Remove from heat and set aside.
Whisk eggs with salt and pepper. When rice is ready, remove the lid and quickly add eggs, stirring continuously to coat the grains and prevent the eggs from scrambling. The heat from the rice will cook the eggs and the grains will turn shiny. Fold in the cooked greens and cilantro, stir to combine and serve.
Collards
Braise with a touch of olive oil and garlic. Especially good with ham or pork chops.
Corn Bread Stuffing with Greens
Makes 4 cups, enough for 2 chickens.
1 recipe corn bread (see below)
1 bunch greens (chard, kale, etc.)1/2 to 3/4 of a pound
olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 pound bacon or smoked sausage (or substitute celery for a no meat stuffing)
1 sprig thyme
a few sage leaves
a few sprigs parsley
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper
Crumble the corn bread into a large mixing bowl. Wash and trim the greens, chop roughly, and cook until tender in a little olive oil. Peel and the dice the onion. Peel and chop the garlic. Dice the bacon (if using sausage or celery, cut it into chunks) and sauté it in a tablespoon of olive oil. When it has begun to render its fat, add the onion and cook until softened, but not too brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, stirring quickly to prevent it from burning. Remove from the heat and add to the corn bread. Finely chop the leaves of the thyme and sage; there should be about 1/2 teaspoon each.
Finely chop enough parsley to make about 2 teaspoons. Add the herbs; the cooked greens; the egg, lightly beaten; and the milk to the bowl with the corn bread. Mix well. Add more milk if the mixture looks too dry. Season with salt and pepper.
My Mother’s Corn Bread
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 egg
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 9 inch cast iron skillet in the oven to get it hot as the oven preheats.
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cornmeal. Break the egg into another bowl, beat lightly, and whisk in the milk and oil. Make a well in the flour mixture, pour in the liquid ingredients and stir until just smooth. Take the skillet out of the oven, pour in 2 tablespoons oil and swirl it around to coat the pan. Pour in the batter while the pan is hot. The batter should sizzle. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is brown. Turn it out of the pan onto a plate, the bottom should be nicely brown. Turn it right side up and cut into wedges, pizza style.
Cream of Broccoli Raab Soup
3-4 slices bacon
½ cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1½ cups sliced potatoes
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups trimmed and roughly chopped broccoli raab
¼ cup heavy cream
Fry bacon in a saucepan, crumble and set aside. In a soup pot sauté onions and garlic, using 1 tablespoon of fat from the bacon. Add potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered until tender, about 20 minutes. Add broccoli raab and cook for 10-15 minutes or until greens re tender. Puree with an immersion blender or cool slightly and puree in a blender. Return to pot and add cream, salt and pepper. Reheat and serve hot garnished with bacon pieces.
Cream of Sorrel Soup
Clean, shred from the midrib and chop:
½ cup sorrel leaves
1½ cups leaf lettuce
Sauté them until wilted in:
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
When they are sufficiently wilted, there will be only about 3 tablespoons of leaves.
Add:
5 cups poultry or vegetable stock
Simmer about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add a small amount of the soup to:
½ cup cream
3 beaten egg yolks
Combine all ingredients and heat until the soup thickens slightly, but do no boil. Makes 5 to 6 cups
I like to make rhubarb into a ‘sauce’ to eat with toast at breakfast….just slice the rhubarb into ½ inch pieces, add to a saucepan with a smidgeon of water and a pinch of salt, bring to a simmer and cook until the rhubarb dissolves into a sauce. Add honey, brown sugar or white sugar to taste. Keep it a little tart. Stir to dissolve and serve warm or cool.
Crispy Kale
Kale recipes aren't normally on the top of most parents lists when they're looking for vegetables the kids will like. But I urge you to try this crispy kale. It is really extraordinary.
Although the kale is roasted, not fried, it becomes crispy and salty, almost like french fries.
6-8 cups chopped fresh kale, hard stems removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt
Place a rack on the lowest shelf of the oven. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
Spread kale out on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Toss to coat completely and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and stir so that kale can get crispy all over. Bake another 8 to 12 minutes or until kale is crispy. It should be just lightly browned and crispy to the touch. If kale still bends, rather than crackles, when you touch it, it isn't done yet. Return it to the oven. Turn down the heat if it is getting too brown. Continue cooking until crispy. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.
Crusty and Creamy White Beans with Greens
½ pound medium or large dried white beans, cooked
3 tablespoons olive oil or clarified butter
Fine grained sea salt
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch chard, washed and roughly chopped, or 1 bunch kale, washed and cut into wide ribbons
Fresh ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Freshly grated parmesan for topping
Drain the beans, then heat the oil or butter over med-high heat in the widest skillet available. Add the beans to the hot pan in a single layer. If you don’t have a big enough skillet, just do the sauté stop in two batches or save the extra beans for another use. Stir to coat the beans with the oil/butter, then let them sit long enough to brown on one side, about 3 or 4 minutes, before turning to brown the other side, also about 3 or 4 minutes. The beans should be golden and a bit crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Salt to taste, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the greens and cook until just beginning to wilt. Remove from the heat and season to taste with a generous does of salt and pepper. Drizzle with a bit of top-quality extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan.
Easy ways to eat your greens!
You can use the kale tender inner leaves raw in your salad, cook the outer, tougher leaves by braising them with a little onion and garlic. Serve them as a side dish or combine them with pasta and cheese. Or chop them up and add them to soup. The original minestrone is made with greens, typically a mix of kale and other greens. Kale on its own works just as well.
When you have more greens that you can use, take whatever greens you have, kale, spinach, whatever and sauté them with onions and garlic, add mushrooms and sliced bell peppers. Freeze just the right amount to make a couple of omelets. Take the greens out of the freezer and heat them up in the microwave, prepare eggs and put in the greens with some cheese and you’ve got a healthful way to eat up all those wonderful greens. Or take the same greens mixture and make a quiche - 4 eggs beaten with 3 cups of fat free cream, salt and pepper to taste and 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese. Dice up a little ham or fry up a little bacon and put it in a 9 inch pie plate that has sprayed with oil, sprinkle the cheese around, spread the greens then pour the eggs on top and bake at 400 degrees for about 50 minutes.
Faiarielli (Broccoli Raab, Italian style)
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
3 or 4 dried chilies (depending on how spicy you like it)
2 pounds broccoli raab, trimmed of stalks over 1/8 inch thick, washed and left wet
Salt and pepper
Put oil in a skillet over medium low heat and add garlic and chilies. When they sizzle and garlic begins to color, add broccoli raab all at once. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until broccoli raab is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. If the pan gets too dry, add a tablespoon of water but keep it to a minimum. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove chilies before serving if you wish.
Gemelli with Broccoli Rabe and Anchovies
1 lb gemelli or other corkscrew pasta
1 (1-lb) bunch broccoli rabe, coarse stems discarded and remainder cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (2-oz) can flat anchovy fillets, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes, or to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook pasta in a 7- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water 6 minutes, then stir in broccoli rabe and boil until pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes more. While pasta is cooking, toss bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon oil in a shallow baking pan until coated and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Season crumbs with salt. While broccoli rabe is cooking, cook garlic, anchovies, and red-pepper flakes in remaining 7 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring and mashing anchovies into oil with a wooden spoon, until garlic is golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Drain pasta and broccoli rabe in a colander, then add to anchovy mixture in skillet, tossing to combine. Serve pasta sprinkled with some toasted crumbs and pass remainder.
Green Leafy Pasta
Saute 1 bunch of spinach and 1 bunch beet greens (or any combination of greens) in ¼ cup olive oil, 2 leeks sliced and 2 cloves of garlic. Cook pasta in plenty of boiling water, drain and stir in greens. Add a little pasta water if it’s a little dry. Grate Romano cheese over all.
Greens and Bulgur Gratin
1/2 cup coarse bulgur (available at natural foods stores and specialty foods shops)
2 pounds assorted greens such as kale, collard, escarole, spinach, Swiss chard,
and/or mustard greens
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 ounce)
6 ounces chilled whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella, grated coarse
1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 450°F. In a heat proof bowl pour enough boiling water over bulgur to cover by 1 inch. Cover bowl with a plate to trap steam and let stand 20 minutes. Drain bulgur in a large fine sieve, pressing out excess liquid, and transfer to a bowl. Keeping each variety of green separate, tear greens into bite-size pieces and discard stems. Still
keeping greens separate, wash thoroughly by dunking in a sink full of water and transfer to a colander to drain.
Place coarser greens (kale or collard) in a soup pot and steam, using just the water clinging to leaves, covered over moderate heat until wilted, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add delicate greens (escarole, spinach, Swiss chard, and/or mustard) to coarse greens and continue steaming until just wilted, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain greens in colander, pressing out excess liquid. In a large heavy skillet sauté garlic in oil over moderate heat until softened but not golden. Stir in greens and bulgur and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in Parmesan and remove skillet from heat.
In a lightly oiled 1 1/2-quart gratin dish, spread half of greens mixture in the dish and sprinkle evenly with mozzarella. Spread remaining greens mixture over mozzarella and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Gratin may be prepared up to this point 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered.
Make topping by stirring together bread crumbs and oil until crumbs are evenly moistened. Sprinkle topping over greens mixture and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes, or until bubbling and top is lightly browned.
Greens and Ricotta Pie
1 large bunch Swiss chard (or other greens), about 1 3/4 pounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 large eggs
1 container (15 oz) part skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9 1/2-inch, deep dish glass pie plate. Trim off two inches from swiss chard stems, discard ends. Separate stems from leaves, thinly slice stems and coarsely chop leaves.
In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil until hot. Add sliced stems and cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add green onions, salt, and pepper and cook 1 min. Gradually add chopped leaves until wilted and excess moisture evaporates, about 5 min. In a large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix eggs, ricotta, milk, parmesan and cornstarch. Stir in Swiss-chard mixture. Transfer mixture to pie plate. Bake pie 40 minutes or until knife inserted 2 inches from center comes out clean.
Kale and Beans on Toast
1 1/2 cups water
6 cups torn kale leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cups finely chopped onion
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes (good quality canned is great here)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16 ounce can cannellini beans (or better yet, cook your own dried cannellini beans)
1 clove garlic halved
4 ¾ inch thick slices good quality French or Italian bread
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add kale and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and oregano, sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, crushed red pepper flakes and minced garlic. Sauté 1 minute. Stir in the kale, reserved cooking liquid and beans. Cook for 3 minutes.
Rub garlic halves on 1 side of each toast slice. Place 2 toast slices, garlic side up on each plate. Sprinkle each slice with 2 tablespoons cheese. Top each with 1 cup bean mixture and 1 more tablespoon cheese.
Kale with Garlic and Cranberries
Garlicky kale, a robust winter green, gains an unexpected twist with dried cranberries' saucy hits of tartness.
1 lb kale (preferably Russian Red), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely torn
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Cook kale in a 6-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 1/2 tablespoons salt for 4 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, then immediately transfer kale to an ice bath to stop cooking. When kale is cool, drain but do not squeeze. Cook garlic in oil in same pot over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale, dried cranberries, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, tossing frequently with tongs, until kale is heated through and tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
Kale with sausage
3 ounces sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
2 cloves garlic
½ cup chopped onion
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed
2-3 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Cook and brown sausage in a large heavy pan (cast iron works great). In another heavy pan, add a thin film of olive oil and sauté briefly chopped garlic and onion. Add chopped kale in 2 or 3 batches, adding more as it wilts. Cook until bright green, add ½ cup water, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Uncover, cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper and serve topped with sausage.
Lentil, Kale and Sausage Soup
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
A 2 1/2-inch piece smoked kielbasa, sliced thin
1 teaspoon vegetable oil if necessary
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, sliced thin
1/2 cup lentils, picked over
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 small bunch kale, stems and center ribs discarded and leaves sliced thin (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon balsamic or red-wine vinegar
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan brown sausage over moderate heat. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. If there is more than 1 teaspoon fat in pan pour off excess; if there is less, add enough oil to measure 1 teaspoon fat. Cook garlic, stirring, until golden. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened.
Add lentils, water, broth, and sausage and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Add kale and simmer
uncovered until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Mustard Greens and Onion Saute
1 T olive oil
1 onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ pounds mustard greens, stems removed and sliced in 1 inch strips
2 t cider vinegar
In a large skillet, heat oil, add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until onion is tender, about 10. Add as many greens to skillet as will fit, season with salt and pepper. Cook until wilted, tossing and adding more greens as room becomes available, about 3 minutes. Stir in vinegar and serve.
Pasta with Leeks and Greens
Leaf stalks are not used in this recipe, you can slice them and sauté them on their own or add to vegetable soup.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 leeks, thinly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch chard, with stems removed and coarsely chopped
½ pound pasta, short shells or tubes are better with this dish
salt and pepper, grated parmesan to taste
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, add leeks and sauté until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add chopped greens and continue cooking for 5-8 minutes until greens are soft and tender. Meanwhile cook pasta with salt, drain and toss with greens. Moisten mixture with a little of the pasta water and season with salt and pepper. Divide into 2 bowls, drizzle with a little olive oil and grated parmesan.
Pasta with Lentils and Greens
¾ cup French green lentils
1 bay leaf
¼ cup minced garlic scapes or 2 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch greens: kale, chard, or a mix of various greens
1 leek, 1 small onion or 1 bunch scallions, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
½ pound whole wheat pasta, spaghetti or linguine
Fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Grated parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold water. Drain, put in a pot with bay leaf and half of the garlic scapes and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and place in a bowl. Toss lentils with a few tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Bring a second large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions
Warm 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook the reserved half of the garlic scapes for 1 minute then add the carrots. Stir to coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Cut the stir fry mix greens into strips and add to the sauté pan, stirring and cooking until the greens are wilted.. Add lentils and stir well to combine. Add a bit of the pasta water if mixture seems dry. When the pasta is ready, scoop out 1 cup of water before draining. Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan and toss to combine with vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil, add parsley and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Add reserved pasta water as needed and finish with a grating of parmesan cheese.
Pasta with Lentils and Kale
The secret to this dish is the caramelized onions. Cook them long and slow until they are meltingly tender and deep golden brown. Their rich sweetness rounds out the earthy flavor of the lentils and kale.
1/2 cup French (small) green lentils
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 lb kale (preferably Tuscan; sometimes labeled "lacinato")
3/4 lb dried short pasta
Toasted bread-crumb topping and/or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Simmer lentils in water 2 cups water with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt. While lentils simmer, heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring, 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), about 20 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to moderate, then cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. While onion cooks, cut out and discard stems and center ribs from kale. Cook kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale with tongs to a colander to drain, pressing lightly. Keep pot of water at a boil, covered.
Coarsely chop kale and add to onion along with lentils (including lentil-cooking liquid), then simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to kale-cooking liquid and boil, uncovered, until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta-cooking liquid, then drain pasta in a colander. Add pasta to lentil mixture along with about 1/3 cup of pasta-cooking liquid (or enough to keep pasta moist) and cook over high heat, tossing, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
Potato Kale Galette
A crisp potato cake would be tempting enough—even without the surprise of garlicky kale sandwiched between its layers.
1 lb kale, tough stems and center ribs discarded
1 tablespoon stick (1/2 cup) butter, 6 of the tablespoons melted and cooled
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 lb russet (baking) potatoes (4 medium)
Cook kale in a 4- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well, squeezing handfuls of kale to extract excess moisture, then coarsely chop.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 1 minute. Add kale, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and sauté, stirring, until kale is tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe skillet out with a paper towel. Peel potatoes and thinly slice crosswise (1/16 inch thick) with slicer. Working quickly to prevent potatoes from discoloring, generously brush bottom of skillet with some of melted butter and cover with one third of potato slices, overlapping slightly. Dab potatoes with some of melted butter. Spread half of kale over potatoes and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cover with half of remaining potato slices and dab with butter, then top with remaining kale. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Top with remaining potatoes and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brush a sheet of foil with melted butter, then brush galette with any remaining butter and place foil, buttered side down, on top. Place a 10-inch heavy skillet on top of foil to weight galette.
Cook galette over moderate heat until underside is golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove top skillet and foil. Wearing oven mitts, carefully slide galette onto a baking sheet and invert skillet over it. Holding them together, invert galette, browned side up, back into skillet. Cook, uncovered, over moderate heat until underside is golden brown and potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Slide onto a serving plate. Galette can be made 6 hours ahead and cooled, uncovered, then kept, on a baking sheet covered with foil, at room temperature. Remove foil, then reheat in a 425°F oven until heated through and crisp, about 20 minutes
Quick Greens
Less than 10 minutes from start to finish
Wash any type of greens that can be cooked (kale, radish greens, mustards, chard, spinach, etc.).
Sauté with olive oil and garlic until wilted. Transfer to serving platter and add cracked black pepper and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Easy and delicious!
Rice with Kale and Tomatoes
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
1/2 cup long-grain unconverted rice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 14-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, and chopped
2 cups finely chopped rinsed kale leaves
In a small heavy saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil, add the rice and salt to taste. Cook rice, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. In a heavy skillet cook the garlic in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is golden. Add the tomatoes and the kale, and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Fluff the rice with a fork and in a bowl combine rice, kale mixture, and salt and pepper to taste.
Risotto with Greens
No greens will be wasted! If you are not sure how to use your greens, make this for dinner! It’s easily doubled!
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 c. risotto, uncooked
1/2-3/4 lb. fresh greens, trimmed and torn (Radish greens, kale, chard, mustards, turnip greens, beet greens, etc.)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 (14-1/2 oz.) cans chicken or vegetable broth
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Sauté onion in olive oil in a small stock pan. Add risotto and sauté until golden. Add greens and garlic; sauté until greens are wilted. Stir in broth slowly (one can at a time). Cook, covered, on low heat until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Add black pepper, stirring well. Add cheese, if desired. Toss well before serving.
Roasted Chicken with Mustard Greens
1 T sweet paprika
1 T dried oregano
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 ½ cups water
¾ cup bulgur
2 T fresh lemon juice, divided
1 pound mustard greens with thick stems removed, torn into bite size pieces and rinsed
Preheat oven to 475 F. In a small bowl combine paprika, oregano, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Rub each chicken piece well with seasonings and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, basting with pan drippings once for about 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees. Bring the 1 ½ cups water to a boil. Place bulgur and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl and pour water over. Cover and let sit while chicken roasts, about 30 minutes. Drain through a fine mesh sieve, return to bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. When chicken is done, transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Place mustard greens on the baking sheet and toss with drippings, season with salt and pepper. Roast until wilted, about 5 minutes. Toss greens with remaining tablespoon lemon juice. Serve chicken with mustard greens and bulgur.
Sautéed Kale
Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil until warm, add 3 minced garlic cloves and sauté 30 seconds. Wash and trim kale, stack leaves on top of each other and cut crosswise into ½ inch strips. Add to the pan and sauté 3 minutes or until nicely wilted. Add salt and pepper, 4 slices of bacon which has been cooked and crumbled and about ½ cup chicken broth. Cook about 15 minutes longer.
Sautéed Mustard Greens
Use turnip greens or kale if that’s what you have on hand.
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches mustard greens, washed, trimmed and blanched
½ teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup chicken broth
Warm oil, then add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add blanched mustard greens and salt and pepper to taste. Toss until hot then add the chicken broth, cover and simmer about ten minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid nearly evaporates. Serve with crumbled bacon atop.
Smothered Collard Greens
1 pound collards
2 strips thick sliced bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
several dashes of hot sauce
¼ cup cider vinegar
½ cup chicken broth
Strip and discard the stems from the leaves of the collards and tear the leaves into 3 inch squares. Wash the greens in cold water. Heat the bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until no quite crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, sugar, pepper, hot sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by halt, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the greens and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, until the greens are very tender. If the pot appears to be drying out, add more water as necessary to prevent greens from sticking. Season to taste with additional vinegar, hot sauce salt or pepper. Serve the greens with a generous ladle of the fragrant juices.
Sorrel and Goat Cheese Quiche
Try other cheese too, this is a good dish to make when you're cleaning out the cheese drawer!
1 9" unbaked pie shell
2-3 cups sorrel, coarsely chopped
1 small bunch of scallions, chopped, white part and 1" of the greens
3-4 ounces goat cheese
3 eggs
1½ cups milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread goat cheese in the bottom of the pie shell. Cover with chopped sorrel and scallions. Beat eggs, salt and milk together. Pour over greens. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Sorrel Mousse with Lemon Cream
Sorrel
Sorrel is a leafy green vegetable, not unlike spinach. It has a refreshing lemony taste and can be used as an herb or mixed along with spinach in any recipe calling for spinach. It’s also delicious torn up along with your salad greens. Or try this fabulous recipe for a special occasion:
1 ½ cups stemmed sorrel leaves
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock.
1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
¼ cup sour cream
In a blender, puree the sorrel with ¾ cup stock until smooth. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the remaining ¼ cup stock and let stand until softened (about 2 minutes). Microwave the gelatin at medium power just until melted, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the gelatin mixture to the blender along with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and the red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, puree until very smooth. Add 1 cup of the heavy cream and pulse just until very lightly whipped, about 1 minute. Pour the mousse into 6 small glasses. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours. Before serving, whisk the ¼ cup cream and 1 tablespoon lemon juice with the sour cream to soft peaks. Season with salt and pepper. Dollop the lemon cream on the mousse and serve.
Sorrel Pesto
This is delicious as an interesting pasta sauce or a thick sauce for fish.
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh sorrel, ribs removed
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
In a food processor or blender puree the sorrel, parsley, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and oil. Transfer the pesto to a jar with a tight fitting lid and chill it, covered. The pesto keeps, covered and chilled, for 2 weeks. Makes about 1 cup.
To use the pesto as a pasta sauce, cook 1 pound vermicelli pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water. When al dente, dip a ladle (about 1 cup) of pasta water into a a large bowl and stir the pesto in until well blended. Drain the pasta briefly and add to the pesto. Toss lightly and serve with a grating of parmesan over the top.
Sorrel Soup with Poached Egg
Wash about 4 ounces of sorrel and strip out the tough stem. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 or 2 leeks, finely sliced and 1 or two large carrots, finely chopped. Sauté gently until softened. Add 2 cups good chicken stock and 2 tablespoons long grain rice, well rinsed. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Add the raw sorrel and using an immersion blender, puree until nice and smooth. Add another tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Reheat without boiling and season well with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle into soup bowls and top with a poached egg with a little cream drizzled over.
Stir Fry of Mustard, Kale and Onions
Wash the mustard and kale and strip out the stalks. Roughly chop into bite size pieces. Heat a wok and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add a thinly sliced onion (can be anything from the onion family…leeks are great as well as a yellow onion) and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Add a couple of carrots, cut into matchsticks and stir fry for another couple of minutes. Add one garlic clove and stir and cook for 30 seconds. Add the greens and a pinch of salt and stir fry over medium high heat for a couple of minutes until it begins to wilt. Add a couple tablespoons water, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
The flavor of kale is delicious with squash. You can do the sauté from above and serve in roasted squash halves. Some cheese on top and melted in the oven and this makes a simple and tasty meal.
Warm Potato and Wilted Sorrel Salad
This is best using fresh, new potatoes but barring those, use fingerling or small potatoes (not the huge Russet types). Boil 1 pound potatoes in well salted water until just tender (start testing after about 7 minutes). Strip the central veins out of about 8 ounces of sorrel, wash well and cut into thin ribbons. When potatoes are tender, drain quickly, place in a bowl with 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil. Add the shredded sorrel and toss, leave for a minute so the heat of the potatoes wilts the sorrel, toss again. Rest another minute, then season with salt and pepper and serve at once.
Whole Wheat Blend Rotini with Spicy Turkey Sausage and Mustard Greens
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
4 quarts water
1 (13.5-ounce) package uncooked whole wheat blend rotini (corkscrew pasta)
Cooking spray
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
8 ounces mustard greens
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 cups (2 ounces) grated fresh Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place 1/2 cup broth in a small saucepan over medium heat; simmer until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 6 minutes). Remove from heat. Combine water and remaining broth in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir in pasta. Cook uncovered, 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and place in a large bowl. Keep warm.
Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sausage to pan; cook 6 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in greens and cook 2 minutes or until greens wilt. Add reduced broth, half-and-half, and cheese. Cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts and mixture thickens, stirring frequently.
Add sausage mixture to pasta, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
Whole Wheat Pasta with Broccoli Raab
Don’t skimp on the fennel seeds or lemon zest…those are what make this dish special!
1 bunch broccoli raab, well stemmed and roughly chopped
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices hot capacolla, stacked and cut first into strips, then, across the strips into squares. (Alternately, use any sausage that you have on hand, even spicy bulk sausage fully cooked would be great)
Grated zest from 1 large lemon
Pecorino cheese for grating
Bring water to boil in a pasta pan, salt it generously and cook broccoli raab for 1 minute. Scoop it out and transfer to a colander and run it under cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze out all the excess moisture. Bring the pasta water back to a boil, and cook until it is al dente. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and sauté about 1 minute. Add the broccoli raab, some salt and pepper and sauté for about 2 minutes until hot. Add the capacolla and mix well. When the pasta is done, drain and add it to the skillet, reserving a cup of cooking water. Add the lemon zest and toss well. Use some of the pasta cooking water if mixture is dry. Add a drizzle of olive oil and good grating of pecorino. Toss again and serve hot, with more pecorino onto pass at the table.
