Garlicky Greens Recipes

GARLIC GREENS

Steps:

• Cook 1 sliced onion, 8 whole garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika in a large pot with 3 tablespoons olive oil, about 2 minutes. Add 1 bunch each chopped mustard greens and kale, 2 cups water and a pinch each of sugar and salt. Simmer, covered, until tender, about 15 minutes. Add hot sauce to taste.

VLAD'S VERY GARLICKY GREENS

Steps:

• Place saute pan over medium heat and then lightly crush 5 to 6 garlic cloves. When the pan is hot, add just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and add the garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until golden brown (3 to 5 minutes). Remove from the oil. At this point, the greens can be quickly Sauteed for a mild garlic flavor.
• If you're looking for something a little stronger, thinly sliver 1 clove and add it to the pan stirring constantly (burned garlic is not Good Eats, nor is anything that touches it). Once the slivers turn golden, add the greens and toss to coat with the hot oil. Season with salt and pepper as soon as the greens start to wilt and plate immediately.
• If you're looking for even more garlic flavor, finely mince a clove of garlic and toss it into the greens during the last 30 seconds of cooking and toss the greens to distribute. Keep the pan and the greens moving constantly, if you can.
• Serve as a side dish or toss with pasta and serve as a main course.

SLOW-COOKED GARLICKY GREENS

Steps:

• Working in batches, cook greens in a large pot of boiling heavily salted water until just barely wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain; let cool, then squeeze out excess water with your hands. Coarsely chop; set aside.
• Heat a clean large pot over medium. Cook garlic and 1/2 cup oil, smashing down on garlic with a wooden spoon, until golden and soft, about 4 minutes. Add chiles de árbol and cook 30 seconds to infuse the oil with chile. Reduce heat to medium-low; add reserved greens. Cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until greens are deep green and tender, 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer greens to a platter and drizzle with more oil.

HEARTY GARLIC GREENS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop hearty greens into water and blanch for 4 minutes. Immediately plunge blanched greens into a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Drain, squeeze dry, and set aside.
• Heat oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic is golden around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove garlic from skillet; set aside.
• Raise heat to high. Add hearty greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add spinach; season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Cook until spinach wilts, stirring frequently (about a minute). Return garlic to pan and stir. The greens can be served immediately or at room temperature.