Thai Sauteed Greens With Chili And Garlic 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.

THAI-STYLE GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, peanut butter and red pepper flakes; set aside. , In a small skillet, saute shallot and ginger in oil over medium heat for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add green beans; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add sauce; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts if desired.

SAUTEED GREENS WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Rinse greens well, transferring from one sink of cold water to another, until water is clear and all sediment is removed from leaves.
• Tear or cut leaves away from tough stems and discard. Discard old or yellowed leaf sections. The stems and old leaves can cause the greens to be bitter. Coarsely chop leaves.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat. Cook garlic, jalapeno, and pepper flakes in oil briefly, then add greens, a few handfuls at a time. Cook down each batch until leaves are just beginning to wilt (soften) before adding another handful. Add all greens to skillet in this manner.
• Stir in vinegar and salt. Cover and cook until just tender, 2 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of greens and your preference.
• Serve as a side dish (or a meal) with cornbread.

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.