Wilted Escarole With Hazelnuts Recipes

WILTED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Remove the tough outer leaves of the escarole and twist from the core, discard. Wash in a deep bowl filled with very cold water and swish around until all the dirt has rested on the bottom of the bowl. Lift the leaves from the bowl and spin dry in small batches in a salad spinner.
• Heat the butter, oil, and pepper flakes in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the escarole and stir until just wilted. Add the remaining escarole and cook until softened but still has a little crunch. Season with the salt and serve.
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WILTED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Escarole is a winter green my father served to me raw in a salad. I always struggled with the underlying toughness of the leaves. I would smile and gulp down a lot of water while eating them! My favorite treatment for them now is to drop them in a hot pan with a splash of olive oil and a touch of chili flakes. The "fork-garlic clove" trick adds a nice, light garlic flavor! They will lose a lot of volume so don't be afraid to overload the pan and watch it wilt. Cook for only a few minutes and serve immediately.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the escarole and season lightly with salt and chili flakes. Cook the escarole, stirring, from time to time, with the fork, until they are completely wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. This will allow a "hint" of garlic to touch the greens without overwhelming them. Drain and discard any liquid. Transfer the leaves to a kitchen towel and dry them off, slightly, before transferring them to a platter. Serve immediately.

WILTED ESCAROLE WITH PINE NUTS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and toss in the garlic and crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat. When the garlic is golden and very aromatic, remove it from the pan and ditch it.
• Add the pine nuts, raisins, vinegar and 2 tablespoons water to the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat and toss in the escarole. Toss the escarole to coat with the oil and vinegar mixture and season with salt. Remove the pan from the heat and cover for 1 minute.
• Remove the lid from the pan, toss again and taste. Adjust the seasonings, if needed.

SKIRT STEAK WITH HAZELNUT PICADA AND WILTED ESCAROLE

Steps:

• Set the steaks aside on a covered plate to bring them to room temperature.
• For the picada, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Tear the bread roughly into pieces. Heat the olive oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the bread and pan-fry until evenly golden and crisp. (Take care that the olive oil does not become too hot and begin to smoke.) Remove and drain off excess oil. Pound the bread, in batches if necessary, using a mortar and pestle, until you have coarse bread crumbs. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roast in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes until evenly golden. Tip the hot nuts into a clean dry cloth and rub to remove the skins. Mince the nuts and place in a bowl with the bread crumbs, orange zest, and juice. Mince the garlic and oregano together and add to the bowl with a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, then set aside. Turn the oven to its lowest setting.
• Discard the outer leaves from the escarole, then tear the lettuce into large pieces. Wash well, but don't bother to pat dry. Season the steaks liberally all over. Place a heavy skillet over high heat and brush the steaks with a little olive oil. Lay the steaks in the skillet when it is hot and cook without moving for 3 minutes. Turn and cook on the other side for 3 minutes (you may need a minute or two longer if the steaks have been cut from a thicker section of the thigh). You should have a nice brown crust, while the meat inside should be rare. Remove to a plate and rest in the warm oven for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cook the escarole. Place a wide pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it just melt, then add the torn leaves and seasoning. Put the lid on until the water clinging to the leaves begins to steam, then uncover and stir every few seconds so the leaves wilt uniformly. This will take 2 to 3 minutes. Now you should have a lovely glossy, pale green vegetable. Check the seasoning. Place a steak on each warm serving plate and arrange the escarole alongside. Spoon over the picada and serve at once.

WILTED ESCAROLE WITH WALNUTS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut escarole into 1 1/2-inch wedges, leaving base intact. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium; add a few wedges and cook, turning, until escarole is wilted and light brown on all sides, 3 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a platter. Repeat twice with more oil and remaining escarole. Top with walnuts and blue cheese; drizzle with lemon juice, if desired.

WILTED ESCAROLE AND GARLIC-FRIED GARBANZO BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Fill a heavy-bottomed saucepan with 1 inch of oil. Heat to 350 degrees, checking the temperature on a deep-fry thermometer. Add the garlic, and fry just until it starts to turn golden, about 10 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Working in small batches, add the garbanzo beans to the oil. Fry until golden and crusty, 2 to 3 minutes. As you are frying, check the temperature of the oil with the deep-fry thermometer, and adjust the heat as necessary to keep it between 325 degrees and 350 degrees. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garbanzos to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm in the oven. Remove the pan of oil from the heat, and set aside.
• To wilt the escarole, place about 3 tablespoons of the reserved oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch-oven over medium-high heat. Add as much escarole as will comfortably fit in your pan and toss with tongs until wilted. Then start adding the remaining escarole a handful at a time and keep tossing until all the escarole is wilted. Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan, and cook for a few minutes more, until the escarole is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes altogether. Season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange the escarole on a platter, and squeeze lemon juice over. Scatter the fried garbanzos over the escarole, and top with the fried garlic. Garnish platter with lemon wedges.