Braised Escarole Recipes

BRAISED ESCAROLE WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cook 3 sliced garlic cloves in olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until golden. Add 1 large head chopped escarole in batches, season with salt and red pepper flakes and cook until just wilted, 3 minutes. Add one 14-ounce can diced tomatoes; cook until the liquid is reduced, 7 minutes. Stir in 2 teaspoons chopped oregano; season with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and top with grated parmesan.

BRAISED ESCAROLE WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Cook 8 ounces chopped pancetta in a large pot over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add 1 sliced onion and 3 sliced garlic cloves to the pot and cook, stirring, until browned, 8 to 10 minutes; add to the pancetta. Increase the heat to high; add 3 heads chopped escarole, press down and cook, undisturbed, 4 minutes. Toss, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring, until wilted, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium high; stir in 3/4 cup white wine, then the pancetta mixture. Cook until reduced by half, 4 minutes, then cover and cook until the escarole is tender, 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

BRAISED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Cut away and discard the white core of the escarole. Cut away and discard any tough stems. Cut the leaves crosswise in half. Drop the leaves in boiling water seasoned with a little salt. Let simmer 5 minutes. Drain well and press to extract moisture. Coarsely chop the greens.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and add the garlic. Cook briefly and add the escarole, salt and pepper. Add the pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, about 4 minutes.

BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH ESCAROLE AND RADICCHIO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Heat a large braiser pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sprinkle the lamb shanks all over with 2 teaspoons salt. When the pan and oil are hot, sear the shanks on all sides until deep brown, rotating often, about 8 minutes. Remove the lamb to a plate.
• To the pan, add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables are soft and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, rosemary and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes to caramelize the paste. Deglaze the pan with the wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, then add the lamb shanks back to the pan. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the lamb is fork tender, about 2 hours, turning the shanks halfway through.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the escarole and radicchio and toss well to coat. Arrange the bitter greens on a large serving platter.
• When the lamb is tender, remove the shanks to the platter with the greens. Simmer the sauce until reduced slightly, an additional 10 to 15 minutes. Spoon some of the sauce over the lamb. Serve the remaining sauce on the side, for guests to help themselves. Finish the platter by grating some fresh horseradish over the lamb.

BRAISED ESCAROLE WITH GARLIC AND LEMON

Steps:

• Break off the leaves of the escarole and wash them individually, taking care to remove any soil at the base of the stems. Shake the leaves dry, stack them up, and slice the escarole crosswise into ribbons about 1 1/2-inches wide.
• Place a large deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Toss in the garlic, red pepper flakes, bay leaves, and lemon slices; cook and stir for a couple of minutes, tossing to combine. Nestle the escarole into the pan and saute until it begins to wilt and shrink down, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the escarole with a pinch of sugar and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the water and cover the pan. Simmer for 20 minutes until the escarole is tender.

ESCAROLE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add the anchovies, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the escarole and salt to the pan, cover and cook until wilted. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Remove and discard the garlic cloves. Let the escarole cool slightly, then place it in a large kitchen towel and gently ring out excess moisture. Transfer the greens to the bowl of a food processor. Add the olives, the lemon zest and juice, and the feta and process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add the currants and pulse to combine.
• Unroll the pie crusts. Use one to line a 9-inch pie pan, pressing it gently into the pan so there are no air bubbles and leaving some overhang around the edges. Brush the crust with the beaten egg, then spoon in the filling and distribute evenly. Cover with the second pie crust, tucking in and crimping the edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork. Cut three slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the pie with the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil and bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH ESCAROLE AND SICILIAN OLIVES

Steps:

• Trim chicken thighs of excess fat, and dry well on paper towels. Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Place chicken in skillet, skin-side down, and sear until skin is well-browned, about 5 minutes. Turn thighs with tongs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sear until second side is golden, about 3 minutes more.
• Pour off fat. Reduce heat to low, add olive oil, and half of the sliced garlic, shallots and the herbs, and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 40 seconds. Add wine and chicken broth, cover, and simmer 7 minutes. Turn chicken, and simmer until meat pulls easily from bone, about 7 minutes more.
• Transfer chicken from skillet to plate. Add remaining garlic, shallots and herbs, olives, escarole and lemon juice to skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, increase heat to medium-high, and cover. Steam escarole until it wilts, about 5 minutes.
• Return chicken to skillet on top of escarole. Add butter, increase heat to high, and simmer until butter melts and sauce has emulsified slightly. (If sauce appears thin, transfer escarole and chicken to warm platter, then boil sauce until it has reached a pleasing consistency.) Taste to correct seasoning. Serve immediately.

BRAISED ESCAROLE WITH CURRANTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-low heat. Add pepper flakes; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic and almonds; cook until light golden, about 3 minutes. Add anchovies, if using; stir until mashed and well combined with the oil mixture. Add sherry; cook until most of liquid has evaporated. Add stock and sugar; stir until sugar has dissolved.
• Add escarole in batches, tossing and adding more as it wilts until all has been added to the pan. Cover; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until wilted.
• Add currants; cook until escarole is tender, about 10 minutes more. Serve.