List all recipes for: Greens to Cook
Braised Collard Greens with Tomatoes
Braised Collard Greens with Tomatoes
This is what I think of as the 'southern version' of cooking collard greens. The full meal deal.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced medium
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 pounds collard greens, stems discarded and leaves torn into 2 inch pieces
salt and pepper
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
3 cups water
1 smoked ham hock
1 15 oz can black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
Hot cooked rice for serving
In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until completely wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add tomatoes and break them apart with a spoon. Add ham hock and 3 cups water, bring to a boil and reduce to a medium simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and ham separates from the bone, about 2 1/2 hours, adding more water if needed. Remove ham hock from the pot and let it rest until cool enough to handle. Discard skin and bone, dice meat and return to pot. Stir in black eyed peas. Season with salt and pepper. Serve collard greens with rice.
Creamy Braising Greens Soup
1 slice thick cut bacon diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound cured sausage, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
7 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups mixed braising greens, thoroughly washed, tough stems removed and cut into fine strips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
Sauté bacon in a large heavy pot until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add onion and carrot to pan, cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sausage, cook stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and broth, stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add greens and cream and continue to simmer until soup comes to a simmer and greens are wilted. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with bacon.
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 Broccoli Rabe
1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut crosswise into 3 inch pieces
2 teaspoons julienned lemon zest
Salt and pepper
1 cup good quality chicken stock
Heat oil and garlic in a large straight sided skillet over medium heat until the garlic is sizzling and aromatic but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli rabe, zest and 3/4 teaspoon salt and toss well to coat with oil. Add stock and bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until broccoli rabe is tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer contents of pan, including liquid, to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with pepper, drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice. 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 Rabe with Bacon
1 1/2 pounds broccoli rabe
4 slices bacon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe 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 a plate line with paper towels. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings. Add the cooked broccoli rabe to the skillet containing the bacon drippings and stir in the red pepper flakes. Cook, tossing, 1 to 2 minutes. Crumble the reserved bacon, toss with the rabe. Add salt if desired and serve.
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.
Broccoli Rabe with Bell Peppers
1 pound broccoli rabe, tough stems removed
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bell peppers, red, green or yellow
Cut rabe into 1 1/2 inch lengths. Pour enough water into a 12 inch skillet to reach a depth of 3/4 inch. Bring to a boil and season with salt. Add broccoli rabe and cook, stirring occasionally until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Set aside. Dry skillet. Add oil and heat over medium high heat. Add bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli rabe. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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 Greens Soup
Serves 6
Use whatever mix of greens you have on hand.
3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2 inch dice
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch dice
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups mixed greens, about 12 ounces) tough stems removed, leaves stacked and rolled cigar style and sliced into 1/2 inch ribbons
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute pancetta in a large heavy pot over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add onion and carrot, cook over medium heat until soft, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and sausage, cook and stir until sausage is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and broth, stir, bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are very tender, about 20 minutes. Add greens and simmer, partially covered for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.
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.
Creamy Braising Greens Soup
1 slice thick cut bacon diced
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound cured sausage, diced
6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
7 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 1/2 cups mixed braising greens, thoroughly washed, tough stems removed and cut into fine strips
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
Sauté bacon in a large heavy pot until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Add onion and carrot to pan, cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sausage, cook stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes and broth, stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add greens and cream and continue to simmer until soup comes to a simmer and greens are wilted. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with bacon.
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 - Southern Style
Serves 4
This is a fabulous way to serve a side dish of greens when you're serving pork chops, sausage or ham
4 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 large bunch (about 12 ounces) collard greens or kale, stems removed and leaves stacked, rolled cigar style and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
Sauté the bacon in a large, heavy skillet until it is just beginning to get crispy. Add the greens to the pan and sauté until the greens are hot and coated with the bacon grease. Add the salt, pepper and broth, reduce heat and gently simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Scoop the greens out with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl and reduce the liquid over high heat to about 1/2 cup. Pour over the greens and serve.
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.
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.
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!
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 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.
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.
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.
Winter Greens Pesto
Mix this pesto with goat cheese for a little spread for toast, toss with pasta or rice, thin it with water or additional olive oil to drizzle on roasted vegetables. Or spread on toast with an additional drizzle of good olive oil and some crumbled feta. If you have an abundance of greens, remember to freeze this pesto in small containers for future use.
2 medium sized bunches of greens (a mix of chard, kale, beet greens, spinach, collards etc.)
a handful of nuts, whatever you have on hand, such as hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts or pine nuts
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
