braised greens

method

This is a really simple and tasty way to make greens less boring. Also, having a mixture of greens makes things much more appealing. I’ve used three types of greens, including arugula, which is always thought of as a salad leaf. Chicory is a slightly bitter-tasting green leaf that is excellent for braising. If you can’t get hold of it then try substituting any other type of green, like spinach, cabbage, mustard greens, Chinese cabbage, beet greens, sprouting broccoli—whatever you fancy.

Half fill a large pot with salted water, bring to the boil and add your Swiss chard and chicory. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until the greens are tender, or al dente, then drain in a colander. To your empty pan add 4 large glugs of olive oil and the garlic. Fry the garlic until lightly colored, then throw in your cooked chicory and chard. Season and stir around to coat in all the lovely flavored oil. After 1 minute, remove from the heat, add the arugula and squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir once more, check the seasoning again, and serve immediately. Great with grilled meats or scallops, or even served cold on an antipasti plate.

serves: 4

ingredients

• 2 large handfuls of Swiss chard

• 2 large handfuls of chicory

• olive oil

• 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large handfuls of arugula

• ½ a lemon