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Early spring is prime time for leafy greens in the garden and at the farmers market. Here are a few recipes that can be made with a variety of different greens: Garlicky Sautéed Greens, Kale Salad with Bitter Greens and Lemon, and Chimichurri Sauce. Recipes courtesy of chef Laura Doyle.
Garlicky Sautéed Greens
This is a great, basic way to cook greens. You can use any greens you want and store them in a container in your fridge to throw in any dish you feel could use them.
Ingredients:
1 large bunch of greens
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
fine grain sea salt
5 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
crushed red pepper flakes
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add a couple big pinches of salt and the greens. They should hiss and spit a bit when they hit the pan. Stir continuously until their color gets bright green, and they just barely start to collapse — two, three, maybe four minutes, depending on how hot your pan is and how much structure your greens have. Then, just 30 seconds before you anticipate pulling the skillet off of the heat, stir in the garlic. Sauté a bit, remove the pan from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, and add a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Taste; add a bit of salt if needed.
Kale Salad with Bitter Greens and Lemon
Ingredients:
1 large bunch kale, washed
4 ounces Pecorino Romano, grated
2 lemons, juiced
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
1-2 cups bitter greens (chicory, endive, and radicchio)
Mix the garlic and lemon in a bowl with the salt.
Roll several kale leaves lengthwise and using the point of a chef’s knife, cut away the thick center stem. Discard. Roll the remaining stack of de-veined leaves into a tight cigar shape and slice into thin ribbons.
Toss the shaved kale with the cheese. Whisk the olive oil into the lemon juice and pour over the salad. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let the salad sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.
Just before serving, toss in the bitter greens.
Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, trimmed of thick stems (you can also use a mix of parsley and cilantro or other spring greens or herbs)
3-4 garlic cloves
2 Tbsps fresh oregano leaves (can sub 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp red or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Finely chop the parsley, fresh oregano, and garlic (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl.
Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, return to room temperature before serving. Can keep for a day or two.
Learn how to make these recipes by watching the cooking class below
