Sautéed Greens With Fresno Chiles Recipes

SAUTéED GREENS WITH CHILES, GARLIC AND LEMON

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pot over medium-low heat. Add 4 each crushed garlic cloves, chopped Calabrian chiles in oil and wide strips of lemon zest; cook until softened, 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 large bunch chopped Tuscan kale, stirring to wilt, then add a 5-ounce package baby spinach. Increase the heat to medium, stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and cook until dry, 3 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

SPAGHETTI WITH MUSSELS AND CALABRIAN CHILES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil and the breadcrumbs in a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a small bowl.
• Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook as the label directs for al dente. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a separate large pot over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chiles. Add the mussels and wine and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until the mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any unopened mussels). Drain the mussels in a colander set over a large bowl. Pour the liquid back into the pot. Cover the mussels to keep warm.
• Using tongs, transfer the spaghetti to the pot with the mussel liquid. Cook over medium-high heat, tossing, until coated. Add some of the pasta cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pasta seems dry. Stir in the parsley and season with salt.
• Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with the mussels, breadcrumbs and basil; drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

SAUTéED GREENS WITH FRESNO CHILES

Steps:

• Tear the leaves from 1 small bunch each escarole, Swiss chard and Tuscan kale; chop the stems. Rinse and blot dry. Sauté the chopped stems, 3 smashed garlic cloves and 1 chopped seeded Fresno chile in 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over high heat until the garlic is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leaves in two batches and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE WITH CHILES

Steps:

• Cook 1 thinly sliced chile de arbol in 1/4 cup olive oil in a pot over medium heat until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the grated zest of 1 lemon, the juice of 2 lemons and 6 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Toss with 12 ounces cooked linguine, adding up to 1 cup pasta-cooking water to loosen the sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup grated parmesan and season with salt. Top with 1 more crumbled chile de arbol.

STIR-FRIED ASIAN GREENS WITH CHILES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• 1. Carefully inspect the greens, discarding or trimming off any spoiled stems or leaves. Trim the bottom ends off and discard. Wash the greens in several changes of the coldest possible water; tepid water might cause them to wilt, and you want them to stay as alert and perky as possible before being cooked. (Note: Because bok choi and baby bok choi tend to have pockets full of sand in the nooks where the leaves meet the center stem, be certain to pull the leaves back slightly away from the stem when you're cleaning them. There are few things worse than a mouthful of sand when you want a mouthful of greens.)
• 2. Cut the cleaned greens into pieces 2-1/2 to 3 inches long. If any of the stems are particularly wide - say, more than 1 inch - or are tough or sinewy-looking, cut them in half lengthwise. If you're using baby bok choi or baby Shanghai choi, you can either leave the heads whole or cut them in half lengthwise - it's up to you. Spin the greens dry in a salad dryer or set them aside to air-dry on a kitchen towel or paper towels; they needn't be bone dry - a little dampness won't matter.
• 3. In a wok, 12-inch skillet, Dutch oven, or soup pot (any pot large and wide enough to comfortably hold the greens will do), heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it's hot but not smoking - it should appear shimmery - add the garlic, the salt, and, if using, the chiles. Sauté, stirring until the garlic just begins to lose its rawness, about 1 minute. (Try not to let the garlic turn golden or golden brown, which would give this dish an inappropriate roasted taste.)
• 4. Add the greens. Raise the heat slightly and immediately begin to vigorously stir-fry the greens around the pot. Continue to vigorously stir-fry the greens until they just begin to go limp but the leaves remain a spring-green color and the stems are still crunchy-crisp, 3 to 4 minutes, depending on the type of greens. Taste for salt, adding only a pinch more if necessary (a little salt goes a long way with greens).
• 5. Transfer the cooked greens to a large serving platter and serve promptly. Be careful not to pile the greens in a small bowl; since the greens will continue to cook for a minute or two after they're removed from the heat, a serving bowl that crowds them may cause them to overcook and become mushy.