This is how I cook greens about 80% of the time at my house. It is endlessly flexible - use kale, dino kale, chard, turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens... whatever kind of greens you like. Even the more pedestrian spinach benefits from a quick dance in the pan with garlic and chiles!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: Makes 2 to 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 bunch (about 1 lb.) greens of your choice
- 1 Tbsp. salt (for boiling water) plus more to taste
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 to 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 to 3 whole, small dried chiles (such as arbol) or 1 fresh red chile such as fresno, sliced
- Lemon juice (optional but delicious)
Preparation:
- Clean the greens and cut off any tough stems. Chop the greens into fairly large pieces and set aside.
- (Note, this step is optional.) If you want to blanch the greens to minimize their bitterness, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp. salt and chopped greens to boiling water (except for spinach, you can skip this step if using spinach). Cook until greens wilt, 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the toughness of the greens you're using. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water until cool. Use your hands to squeeze out as much water as possible from the greens. Set the greens aside.
- Heat a large frying pan or saute pan over high heat. Add oil, garlic, and chile. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and just starting to turn golden, about 30 seconds. Add greens and stir to combine. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and flavors combine, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve greens hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Makes 4 servings Greens With Garlic & Chiles.
