It’s easy to fall into the rut of making the same vegetables, the same way, week after week. Vegetables can easily become something we have to eat instead of something we want to eat. Greens can be an easy, delicious option using whatever you have in your crisper.
I love a salad with everything but the kitchen sink. You can take the same freestyle approach you use when making a salad with your greens. Eaten on their own, bitter greens — like broccoli rabe, chicory, turnip greens, and kale — can have a bite that’s strong and assertive. Not everyone loves the intense bitterness these greens have when left on their own. But, paired with the right ingredients, these strongly flavored greens can offer a softer side, full of mellow richness. Here are some ways to tame the bite of bitter greens and you don’t even need a recipe.
Making Sautéed Greens Without a Recipe:
PREP
- Wash greens thoroughly. All greens work for this recipe — spinach, kale, chard, mustard greens, or anything you have in your veggie drawer.
- For Kale or Chard, you’ll want to remove the ribs.
SAUTE
Add olive oil to your skillet over medium heat, about two tablespoons for larger bunches of greens. Warm the pan and, once the oil is hot, toss in chopped or sliced shallots/minced garlic/diced onion (whatever you have!) and cook just to the point of beginning to brown.
Add the greens in batches — the pan should be borderline full but not overflowing. Once the greens start cooking down, continue to add more. A good trick for speeding the cooking process and softening the greens, without adding additional oil, is to spoon a few tablespoons of broth into the pan, allowing them to steam.
Now it’s time to kick up the flavor. Add an acid like the juice from half a lemon or a spoonful of vinegar (whatever vinegar you have in the pantry – sherry, red wine, apple cider). Throw in a handful of toasted nuts and/or a small handful of dried fruit. If you want to add some heat, sprinkle in some crushed red pepper.
Serve as a side, throw in some grilled chicken at the last minute, or toss in pasta for a meal.
Find more recipes for your greens in this month’s newsletter.