Leafy green can be prepared by a technique that combines elements of sauteing and pan steaming. Preheat the pan and add a small amount of a flavorful fat such as olive oil or a bit of well-flavored stock or broth. You can add aromatics like garlic or spices to the pan; add them before you add the greens so they can infuse the entire dish with flavor.
Trim and rinse the greens. Let them drain, but some moisture should still be clinging to them to create steam in the pan. Leafy greens are loosely mounded in the pan, then, as they cook, they lose volume quickly and appear wilted and softened. Add seasonings and continue to saute until the vegetables are fully cooked and flavorful. Some vegetables must be kept in nearly constant motion as they saute; others develop a better flavor and color when turned only once or twice. Use offset spatulas, tongs, or stir-frying tools to turn and lift vegetable as they saute. Very tender greens, like baby spinach, usually don't need to be covered as they cook. Heartier greens, like kale or collards, benefit from a bit of steam heat to cool them until tender. Once the greens are softened and wilted, cover the pan and let the greens cook in a steam bath created by the liquid that they release naturally.
As leafy greens cook, their color intensifies. Now is the time to introduce additional flavoring or garnishing ingredients. Pepper is a popular seasoning, but you may also want to add a touch of toasted nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts) or dried fruits. You may opt to reserve the oil that might have been used as a cooking medium to introduce as a final flavoring ingredient. You can get a great flavor from a very small amount, if you add the oil at the end instead of the beginning. Cold-pressed oils made from nuts or olives are too volatile to use at high heat, but they shine as a final seasoning.
Techniques of healthy cooking-The Culinary Institute of America
Trim and rinse the greens. Let them drain, but some moisture should still be clinging to them to create steam in the pan. Leafy greens are loosely mounded in the pan, then, as they cook, they lose volume quickly and appear wilted and softened. Add seasonings and continue to saute until the vegetables are fully cooked and flavorful. Some vegetables must be kept in nearly constant motion as they saute; others develop a better flavor and color when turned only once or twice. Use offset spatulas, tongs, or stir-frying tools to turn and lift vegetable as they saute. Very tender greens, like baby spinach, usually don't need to be covered as they cook. Heartier greens, like kale or collards, benefit from a bit of steam heat to cool them until tender. Once the greens are softened and wilted, cover the pan and let the greens cook in a steam bath created by the liquid that they release naturally.
As leafy greens cook, their color intensifies. Now is the time to introduce additional flavoring or garnishing ingredients. Pepper is a popular seasoning, but you may also want to add a touch of toasted nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts) or dried fruits. You may opt to reserve the oil that might have been used as a cooking medium to introduce as a final flavoring ingredient. You can get a great flavor from a very small amount, if you add the oil at the end instead of the beginning. Cold-pressed oils made from nuts or olives are too volatile to use at high heat, but they shine as a final seasoning.
Techniques of healthy cooking-The Culinary Institute of America
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