Utica Greens Sauted Escarole Recipes

UTICA GREENS

Steps:

• Rinse the escarole and chop into small pieces.
• Bring salted water to a boil and blanch the escarole for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the proscuitto and onion and cook for about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
• Add the drained escarole, cherry peppers and water. Stir it all together and add a little salt and pepper if desired.
• Cook until the escarole is wilted, about 7-8 minutes.
• Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs and cheese, and stick under the broiler for 2 minutes to brown the top.

UTICA GREENS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, prepare the oreganato: Mix the oil, bread crumbs and cheese until well blended. It should have the texture of moist beach sand. Set aside.
• When the water is boiling, blanch the greens until they are nearly limp but still a little firm, about 1 to 2 minutes. Plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove and drain them well in a colander or salad spinner, allowing them to remain moist but not dripping wet. Squeeze just a little of the moisture from them, then chop them into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.
• Heat the broiler. Coat a large pan with the olive oil. Over medium heat, sauté the prosciutto, cherry peppers and garlic until the prosciutto is browned and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. (Lower heat slightly if garlic begins to brown too quickly.) Add the chopped greens to the pan, season with salt and pepper and stir to mix well.
• Add 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and 1/2 cup of the oreganato. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently to blend, scraping the bottom of the pan to keep the oreganato from burning.
• Sprinkle another 1/4 cup oreganato atop the greens. (Save leftover oreganato for use in another greens dish, or add it to baked chicken or shrimp.) Place the pan under the broiler and broil until the top browns, about 2 minutes. Remove from the broiler and sprinkle a bit more cheese on the dish. Serve immediately.

UTICA GREENS (ESCAROLE)

Steps:

• Clean and rinse escarole twice; chop in large pieces.
• Boil down for 5 or 6 minutes so it's tender and wilted.
• Place olive oil in a saute pan and heat.
• Add chopped garlic and prosciutto and render for 2 or 3 minutes. Do not burn garlic.
• Add seeded peppers and cook another minute or so.
• Add the escarole and all the other ingredients in the pan.
• Gradually add the bread crumbs and grated cheese, tossing gently until blended.
• Taste for final salt and pepper seasoning.
• Place in a casserole; sprinkle a little of the bread crumbs and place under a broiler for 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

ITALIAN UTICA GREENS SAUTEED ESCAROLE RECIPE

Steps:

• First Version
• 4 lb escarole (about 4 heads), cored and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• Italian Flavored Bread Crumbs
• Locatelli cheese grated
• Wash escarole in a sinkful of hot water, lift to drain.
• Cook in a heavy pot full of boiling salted water for 30 minutes, drain.
• Heat oil in the same pot over medium heat, saute garlic and red pepper flakes with oil for around 1 minute.
• Add escarole, stirring to coat evenly with oil.
• Place on low heat and saute until tender around 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and more red pepper flakes if you love it hot!
• Spoon onto a large platter and drizzle with a good grade extra virgin olive oil,
• Italian flavored bread crumbs, and Locatelli cheese grated or shredded mozzarella.
• Second Version
• (This version is found in most Central NY Utica/Rome areas)
• 1 large escarole (or 2 small heads)
• 4 slices prosciutto-thin slices, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 long Italian hot peppers, seeded & julienned
• 1/2 cup Italian flavored breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper black pepper and the pinch of salt
• Follow directions above except saute the garlic, peppers in oil with prosciutto first, add cooked escarole with spices, add broth, top with cheese and breadcrumbs at the end.
• Third Version A Version of Greens Morelle
• Utica Greens All Dressed Up
• (a whole meal in itself!)
• Cut and peel 4 potatoes into 1-inch chunks and fry until golden brown and crisp, set aside.
• 2 lbs of link Italian sausage cut in small pieces and fried, set aside.
• 6 slices of prosciutto, ham, or capicola ( Italian hot ham).
• Boil 2 heads of Escarole a little saltwater, slowly in a large pot simmer for 30 minutes.
• Drain and do the same procedure above to extract water.
• In a large frying pan: add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil boiled drained greens
• 2 to 3 cloves of minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 jar of roasted peppers or use homemade roasted peppers, you can also use sweet cherry peppers or long hot peppers cut into strips
• 1/2 cup chicken broth, at the end
• optional chopped tomatoes
• In a large frying pan add oil saute; peppers and ham, add all spices. Add potatoes, sausage, and ham mix greens in stir, add the broth.
• Garnish: 1 cup shredded blend of provolone and mozzarella
• 1/2 cup of seasoned Italian breadcrumbs add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 3/4 cup Locatelli or Parmesan grated cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• Add topping to greens mixture.
• Place in a greased casserole dish and sprinkle with cheeses and flavored bread crumbs on top.
• Broil until cheese melts.

UTICA GREENS (SAUTED ESCAROLE)

Steps:

• 1. Clean and rinse escarole twice; tear in large pieces. 2. Boil veggie broth in a pan to blanch escarole. When boiling, submerge escarole for 3-6 minutes until wilted. reserve broth. 3. Place olive oil in a saute pan and heat to medium. 4. Add garlic, onion and potato dices (prosciutto if desired) and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Do not burn garlic- if it browns, remove it. Cook potatoes until tender and remove, reserve. 5. Add peppers, cook another minute or so. 6. Add the escarole and broth, but not all of it. start at 3/4 cup and play by ear. should not be soupy at the end. the intention is to build a sauce with the pan renderings and to finish cooking the escarole, coated in the sauce. As the liquid reduces and the greens look fully wilted, taste them and add more broth or season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, as needed. When satisfied with taste and pan is almost all reduced- 7. Gradually add the egg, scrambling (if desired), bread crumbs and grated cheese, tossing gently until blended. Bread crumbs will soak up remaining sauce. Add fried potatoes back in. 8. Taste for final seasoning. Optional- 9. Place in a casserole dish or crock; sprinkle some bread crumbs and mozzarella or provolone cheese on top and broil 3-4 minutes until browned. Serve hot.