Come winter, we love making the most of all of the bitter greens we are able to get our arms on—kale, radicchio, beet greens, escarole, and extra. Whereas any one in every of these will be eaten uncooked, they are usually a bit on the robust facet and, effectively, bitter. Cooking the greens softens them up and helps deliver out their sweeter, earthier flavors.

For all of the dishes it’s worthwhile to get your fill of inexperienced greens this winter, learn on for 10 of our favourite recipes involving cooked bitter greens, together with pastas, soups, baked eggs, tarts, and extra.

Vegetarian and Vegan

Hearty Vegan Polenta and Kale Soup With Miso and Toasted Sesame Oil

This simple one-pot polenta and kale soup hails from Italy, however we give it a distinctly Japanese twist by incorporating miso paste, soy sauce, scallions, and toasted sesame oil. A selfmade vegetable inventory is the perfect base for a tasty soup, and the polenta makes it wealthy, thick, and hearty, with a terrific aroma from olive oil and miso.

Pasta With Beans and Greens

Creamy beans and hearty greens are the right pairing for this fast weeknight pasta—and so they’re additionally basic pairing in Italian peasant delicacies (in addition to in lots of different cuisines from all over the world), often called cucina povera (“poor delicacies”). It is a recipe with humble elements however standout taste.

Ribollita (Hearty Tuscan Bean, Bread, and Vegetable Stew)

This hearty Tuscan riff on minestrone is loaded with tender greens and beans and thickened with bread. You possibly can management the ultimate consistency by leaving the stew extra broth-y, or cooking it all the way down to a thicker porridge. The porridge can then be sautéed right into a savory pancake. A recipe with twin function? We’ll take it!

Baked Eggs With Creamy Greens, Mushrooms, and Cheese

Three sorts of leafy greens—kale, Swiss chard, and spinach—mix with mushrooms, garlic, leeks, mustard, and spices to type the bottom for a baked-egg dish that is a bit like an omelette turned inside out. It is a super recipe for brunch, or actually any meal of the day.

Vegan Peanut, Candy Potato, and Kale Soup With Coconut

Kale is without doubt one of the hottest and versatile bitter greens round, partly as a result of it is one of many least bitter. Drawing inspiration from each West Africa and Thailand, this flavorful vegan soup requires the darkish lacinato selection, mixed with peanuts, candy potatoes, coconut milk and oil, ginger, and scallions.

Endive, Shallot, and Goat Cheese Tart

With a pronounced bitter taste, endive is certainly an acquired style. However give it an excellent sauté and its sweetness will start to shine by way of, together with a gentle earthy taste that pairs effectively with Parmesan and goat cheese on this savory tart. Any goat cheese will work, however agency, funky Bûcheron is greatest if you could find it.

Nonvegetarian

Creamy White Beans With ‘Nduja, Kale, and Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Fiery ‘nduja spices up creamy white beans and earthy kale, for a simple, hearty weeknight meal. The gentle spreadable texture and excessive fats content material of ‘nduja permits it to simply emulsify and meld with the beans as they simmer, lending them floral warmth from the Calabrian chilies and meaty richness from the pork. Flippantly wilted kale balances the wealthy creaminess of the beans and ‘nduja, whereas lemon juice supplies a pop of brilliant acidity.

Escarole and Parmesan Soup With Hen Meatballs

This conventional model of escarole soup incorporates mini meatballs made with hen breast and seasoned with Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Slightly than forming the meatballs by hand, we pipe the hen combination out of a plastic bag, slicing the little meatballs straight into the soup, like dumplings.

Caldo Verde (Portuguese Potato and Kale Soup With Sausage)

This simple Portuguese soup, made with potatoes, kale, onion, and hen inventory, is the right warming dinner on a cold end-of-winter evening. We use a mixture of russet and Yukon Gold potatoes—the waxy Yukon Golds keep in good chunks so as to add texture, whereas the russets break all the way down to thicken the soup. Garlicky linguiça sausage is a conventional addition, however you’ll be able to omit it and swap the hen inventory out for vegetable inventory to make the soup vegetarian.

Stir-Fried Beef With Kale and Frisée in Black Bean Sauce

This fast recipe marries two very Western greens—kale and frisée—with a conventional Chinese language cooking approach. We stir-fry the kale (each stems and leaves) with marinated flank steak, fermented black beans, and a sauce of sesame oil, soy sauce, water, and cornstarch. Cooking all the things in batches retains the wok good and sizzling.

March 2017