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Garlic-Braised Winter Greens

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 Large Bunch mixed braising greens (kale, chard, collards, and so on)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

  • Wash the greens and dry them by firmly holding the stems and flicking them over the sink.
  • Discard heavy stems, except with the chard.
  • Tear or cut the greens into bite-sized pieces.
  • Cut the heavy center rib and stems with scissors, if needed.
  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.
  • Add the most substantial greens, garlic, oregano, and optional pepper flakes.
  • Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes, just until the greens wilt.
  • Add other greens in batches as described in the Cook’s Tip below.
  • After you’ve added everything, check your greens for tenderness.
  • You might need to add a tablespoon or so of water and cover the pan to steam the greens briefly, 1-2 minutes, until everything is tender.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Cook’s Tip:
  1. Collard greens usually take the longest time, 5-7 minutes, to become meltingly tender. Chard takes about a third less time, and kale a bit less than that. In general, if you cook one type of green until it is wilted, you can add the next type and it will all balance out when it is done.
  2. Beet or radish greens, as well as salad greens like escarole, radicchio, spinach, and arugula, cook very quickly so add them when the heartier greens are almost done, after steaming.
  3. Mustard and turnip leaves add a nice bite of spice to greens but can become bitter when cooked so chop them up and stir in just before you pull the greens off the heat.