I’m girding my loins for the holidays. We have a great Christmas planned and it sounds like tons of fun. But even with all the fresh air and exercise my Minnesotan family will seek out, plenty of time will be spent sitting around noshing. My mother-in-law will bring delicious cured and smoked fishes, friends and neighbors will inundate the house with cookies and candy, and then there will be the actual meals.
I’m not complaining – it’s part of what the holidays are – but I have been purposefully keeping dinners simple. Last night, with greens and pasta, was no exception.
Looking for simplicity at the table too? Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add more salt than you think you should. Drop in the leaves from a bunch of dino kale (the straight, very dark kind) and cook until they bend more than they did when you put them in. Use tongs or a slotted spoon or two forks to fish them all out and drain them. Now boil up 1/2 to 1 lb. of pasta depending on how hungry everyone is. Cook until just tender, scoop out about a cup of the pasta-cooking liquid, and drain. While the water come to a boil and things cook, thinly slice a few cloves of garlic (I use 4 – you may want more or less). Squeeze the excess water out of the kale and chop it. Put the pot back on the stove and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add garlic and cook until just starting to look like it might turn golden. Add a handful of pine nuts, if you’re so inclined, and a sprinkle of red chile flakes, again, if that sounds appealing. Alternatively you could use a fresh chile, or add a filet or two of minced anchovy, or nothing at all. Really, it’s your dinner.
Add the greens and the cooking liquid and cook until liquid is reduced by about half. (FYI: If you have a cup of chicken broth on hand you can use that in place of the pasta-cooking liquid for extra flavor.) Stir in the noodles and cook until liquid is absorbed. Stir in as much grated parmesan, pecorino, or asiago as you’re inclined to add (I tend to stir in about 1/3 of a cup or so, one could certainly add more or leave it out entirely). Sprinkle more of said cheese on each serving.
It’s a dinner that’s simple to make, simple to eat, simple to clean up (one pot, baby!). Enjoy.
James Walsh | 20-Dec-08 at 11:27 pm | Permalink
How right you are. When I pick up collard greens at our local grocery store someone inevitably asks me either in the aisle or at the checkout ” what do you do with that”? I live in southern Oregon so there are not many users of greens here. I have never thought of using them in a pasta but I am going to try it over the next few days. I eat them about once a week, usually with some brazilian or other south american dish that I make. Done properly these greens are delicious and a great accompaniement to anything that has rice and beans in it.
I had a lot of trouble keeping my greens green but I found the if you put them in a large ziplock and press all the air out of them then they will last forever. I have some in the ‘fridge that are over a week old and I bet they are still ok.
James Walsh | 20-Dec-08 at 11:28 pm | Permalink
Great blog by the way.
James Walsh | 21-Dec-08 at 11:38 pm | Permalink
I made this tonight and it was delish. I added some capers, tomato and hard boiledd egg. You can see it at http://jameswalshblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/pasta.html Thank you for the inspiration.