Braised Escarole with Garlic
Recipe Key
Escarole with garlic has a savor, slightly bitter flavor with garlic balancing the mild, earthy bitterness of the greens. When braised sautéed in olive oil and broth, the leaves become very tender and buttery.
I understand that once you’ve discovered your favorite green vegetable you might not feel like switching things up very often. However, an optimal diet includes a variety of nutrients that come from different foods.
Escarole is a green vegetable showing up in supermarkets and health food stores right now with a different nutritional profile than your usual fare. You can stick to your go-to greens of kale or spinach most of the time but why not give escarole a try too?
Many people have never heard of escarole and I wonder how many have ever tasted this delightful leafy green? In the world of Italian-American foods, escarole is almost as popular as tomato sauce.
What is Escarole?
Escarole is a member of the leafy chicory family, widely cultivated in England from at least the 1500’s and is a popular green in Sicilian cuisine. It is rich in many minerals and vitamins, especially folate. It is high in fiber and rich in antioxidants that come from Vitamin A. Eating escarole will help you get glowing skin and healthy hair.
Next time you see escarole in the produce aisle pick it up and give this recipe a try.
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Braised Escarole
A delicious and simple preparation of a traditional Italian vegetable.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 2-4 1x
- Category: Vegetable
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Italian, Paleo, Vegan, Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 1 head escarole, about 1 pound
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup pine nuts (optional)*
Instructions
- Wash the escarole leaves in a bowl of water making sure you remove all the soil. The dirt tends to collect at the base of the stems.
- Stack the leaves and slice the escarole crosswise into ribbons about 1 ½” wide.
- Place a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is lightly brown.
- Add the escarole, stock, salt and pepper. Raise heat and stir to wilt the escarole.
- Simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes until tender. If the pan gets dry add a little more broth.
- If using pine nuts, while the escarole is cooking heat a small sauté pan. Add pine nuts and cook while stirring until lightly brown. Set aside.
- Once the escarole is cooked, taste for salt and pepper. Finish a sprinkle of olive oil to flavor.
- Serve topped with pine nuts
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Instead of pine nut you could add 2-3 Tablespoons of capers the to escarole the last few minutes of cooking.
Enjoy the recipe. Have you ever eaten escarole? What are your favorite greens?