Collard Greens With Bacon
2 pounds collard greens
4 thick-sliced bacon strips, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Trim thick stems from collard greens, and coarsely chop leaves. In a Dutch oven, saute bacon for 3 minutes. Add onion. Cook until onion is tender and bacon is crisp, about 8 to 9 minutes. Add greens. Cook just until wilted.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer until greens are tender, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Cheese Tortellini and Kale Soup
3 Italian mild or hot sausage links, sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
64 ounces chicken broth
1 cup water
4 cups chopped fresh kale
15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
In a large saucepan, cook the sausage, onion, garlic, thyme and pepper flakes in oil until sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Add broth and water, then bring to a boil.
Stir in kale and beans. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until kale is tender. Add tortellini. Simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 9 minutes or until tender. Serve drizzled with olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Broccoli and Kale Salad
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, at room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
10 anchovy fillets
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, at room temperature
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1½ cups good-quality mild olive oil
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups broccoli florets, stems removed
1 bunch baby kale
5-ounce bag croutons
Place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon pepper and 2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube, and process until thick. Add the cheese, and pulse three times to combine.
Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon, and transfer to the bowl of ice water. When it is cool, drain well and transfer to a large bowl.
Remove and discard any hard ribs from the kale. Stack the leaves on top of each other, and thinly julienne them crosswise. Add to the bowl with the broccoli.
Add enough dressing to moisten the broccoli and kale. Toss well. Add the croutons, and garnish with extra Parmesan.
Chicken Thighs With Shallots and Spinach
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds)
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1½ teaspoons olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
⅓ cup white wine or chicken broth
10 ounces fresh spinach
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sour cream
Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook until a thermometer reads 170 F, about 6 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, and keep warm.
In the same pan, cook and stir shallots until tender. Add wine, and bring to a boil. Cook until wine is reduced by half. Add spinach and salt. Cook and stir just until spinach is wilted. Stir in sour cream. Serve mixture with chicken.
White Bean Arugula Salad
4 slices pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup chopped onion
⅔ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
2 cups torn fresh arugula
¼ cup shaved Parmesan cheese
In a small skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
In the same pan, heat oil and pancetta drippings over medium heat. Add onion. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until tomatoes are softened. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine beans, tomato mixture, pancetta, vinegar and basil. Add arugula and cheese. Toss to coat.