Greens with Garlicky Croutons

This dish works equally well with any cooking or bitter green such as rappini, chard, dandelion, mustard, choy, spinach, etc.

• 1 large bunch of greens
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• dash of red pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 slices stale country-style bread, cubed
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Place the bread cubes, two garlic cloves, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until the bread is in tiny pea size pieces or smaller. Add the 3 tablespoons of oil and pulse briefly to mix. In a heavy frying pan, cook the bread mixture, stirring often until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from heat. Rinse the greens well, and remove any brown ends. Cut into 3 inch pieces. In a large, heavy saucepan or frying pan, add the greens still wet with the water they were rinsed in, the last garlic clove finely chopped, and the remaining oil. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the greens are soft and tender. Add red pepper flakes to taste. Place on a platter, and crumble the crumbs on top.

Baked Greens & Potatoes

For variety try adding sautéed chopped onions, mushrooms or blanched carrots or using a different kind of cheese or green.

• 1 ½ pounds potatoes
• 1 pound fresh baby spinach
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, stems removed, chopped
• 1 ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• dash of red pepper flakes

Wash the potatoes, peel them and cut them into 3 inch pieces. Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Remove the potatoes into a colander, without draining the water from the pot and add the spinach to the pot and place it back on the heat for two minutes until the spinach is wilted. Drain the pot with the spinach into a separate colander.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Put the potatoes through a ricer and place them into a bowl. (if you don’t have a ricer, mash them with a fork.) In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together with the cream, and one cup of the cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Add this egg mixture to the potatoes and stir to combine. Add the spinach to the potatoes. Grease a casserole dish large enough to hold the potato mixture and spoon it into the dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle over the top the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and browned. Serve immediately.