Braised Greens With Anchovies Golden Raisins And Pine Nuts Recipes

GRANDMA'S GREENS CATALAN-STYLE WITH TOASTED PINE NUTS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Heat a small, dry skillet over medium heat and add pine nuts. Cook, shaking pan constantly, until nuts are fragrant and lightly browned - about five minutes. Set aside. Wash Swiss chard in several changes of cold water and drain. Trim and discard ends of chard leaves and slice chard into one-inch ribbons.
• Pour a cup of water into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, add chard leaves and cover. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Lift lid and use tongs to turn and wilt chard. Replace lid and continue to boil for four minutes, turning chard again with tongs after two minutes.
• Drain chard in a colander placed in sink, rinsing with cold tap water to stop it from cooking further. Use a rubber spatula to press out as much moisture as possible and reserve. In a heavy skillet, heat olive oil on medium-low. Add garlic and raisins and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is soft but not brown. Add chard, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring until heated through. Serve immediately.

BEET GREENS WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Note: you don't need to remove the beet green stalks unless they are woody and/or thick.
• Place the raisins in a small heat proof bowl. Pour boiling water over the raisins and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, cut the bread slice up into small cubes. (Directions say to discard the crust but I don't do that because I consider it a waste).
• Heat up 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium heat and saute the bread cubes until golden. Drain.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in the pan and saute the pine nuts until they begin to turn golden color.
• Add the beet greens, allspice and garlic.
• Cook quickly (lower heat if necessary to avoid burning) and cook just until beet greens start to wilt.
• Stir in the drained raisins and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the greens to a serving platter.
• Sprinkle with the croutons and serve hot.

BRAISED SWISS CHARD WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Tear Swiss Chard leaves into medium pieces.
• In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Stir red onion in and saute for about 5 minutes or until the red onion slices are soft.
• Turn heat up to medium-high heat; add raisins and pine nuts, stir to toast the nuts.
• Add swiss chard, give it a couple of stirs to incorporate it with the other ingredients. If you are using the spinach, add it at this point instead of the Swiss Chard.
• Add water and cover the pan so the swiss chard will wilt. Usually takes about 3 to 4 minutes for this to happen. Even if you are using the spinach that you have cooked, cooled and strained of extra water - DON'T SKIP THIS STEP WITH YOUR PRE-COOKED, STRAINED SPINACH - if you skip this with your spinach, the texture will be "gummy." Trust me - I tried it.
• Put individual servings on plates, use salt and pepper to your taste and then, (my favorite part) - sprinkle with balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.

SPINACH WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• 1 Wash the spinach well in several changes of cold water. Put the spinach, water, and a pinch of salt in a large pot. Cover the pot and turn on the heat to medium. Cook 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and tender. Drain the spinach and press out the excess water. 2 Wipe out the pot. Melt the butter in the pot, then add the spinach and raisins. Stir once or twice and cook 5 minutes until the raisins are plump. Sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve immediately. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.