Utica Greens (Gasp, a Recipe!)

I rarely share recipes on here, but this one is so good, it would be rude of me not to: 

When I got a craving for escarole with hot peppers and breadcrumbs - an Italian dish I first encountered in Utica, NY about 15 years ago - I turned to Google, hoping to find something similar that I could adapt to gluten-free. Lo and behold, the first result: Utica Greens, by Marie over on Feeling Foodish. I made my first batch on the spot and, lemme just tell you, it was like being back at The Chesterfield in Utica. Serious Italian greens. I followed her recipe with only slight modifications, and she's graciously allowed me to share it with you here. 

Ingredients: 

2 heads escarole or broccoli rabe 

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 hot cherry peppers, diced (can sub pepperoncini if you want to dial down the heat)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano 

1/2 cup chicken broth (Please don't skip the broth - it makes the dish)

Instructions: 

Bring salted water to boil in a soup pot. Add thoroughly washed greens once water comes to a boil. Cook until tender (5-10 min), drain, and set aside. 

While you're cooking the greens, you can toast the breadcrumbs. I use Schar, which are pale and neutral in flavor. 

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned to your liking. 

Before

After

Let cool, then mix in the pecorino romano. 

In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons each of olive oil and butter over medium heat. 

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 

Add peppers, cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add greens and chicken broth, cooking until chicken broth is absorbed. 

Add breadcrumb/cheese mixture and stir to combine. 

I can't even. So good. 

Great the next day and freezes well. I made a massive lasagne last week and froze these greens alongside individual portions of lasagne - kickass lunches for over a week.

Daikon and Eggs (Egads, a Recipe!)

Contrary to what my posts may indicate, I cook - a lot. I rarely share my kitchen adventures here because I am an incredibly inexact cook and so can't give you the proper measurements, yields, etc. that one expects from a recipe. But I've been obsessed with a dish lately, have a basic recipe, and need to share: 

Yes to daikon and eggs.

What, you were expecting something fancy? Not going to find that here. I tend towards meals of the sort one might call "peasant food", said with all the affection in the world. Rustic vegetables, inexpensive but flavorful proteins, interesting grains, and the like.

This dish is adapted from the book I cook out of most often: Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian. Woman writes excellent recipes - every one I've tried has been a slam dunk.

2lbs daikon, scrubbed clean (peeled, if necessary) and cut into 1" cubes
2T cooking oil (I used olive)
2T soy sauce (San J gluten-free tamari = my favorite)
1T toasted sesame oil
1c vegetable stock (I used 1T Better than Bullion vegetable concentrate & 1 c hot water)
1T sugar (I considered omitting this, but now realize that it's essential)

Sushi rice
Hot sauce of your choice
The best quality eggs you can afford at the moment

Sushi rice: I use the general ratio of 2:1 water to rice. (You can use slightly less water if you like your rice drier.) Rinse rice until water is clear. (I'm supposed to say that, but I often skip this step if I'm not actually making sushi with the rice.) If you have a rice cooker, use that. If not, a medium saucepan with lid will be fine. Bring to a boil, cover, turn heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 15-20 minutes. (Be forewarned: Cooking liquid will most likely stream down the sides of pot.)

Heat the 2T of cooking oil, add daikon and cook for about 5 minutes, until all sides are lightly browned. Add the 2T soy sauce, 1c vegetable stock, and 1T sugar - stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce, cover and cook until very tender, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cook eggs: Bring heavily salted water to a boil and then lower as many eggs as you wish to cook into boiling water. Return to boil, cover, turn off heat, set timer for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, lower pan into sink, pour off hot water, and run cold water over eggs. Egg should be set, but center of yolk should be glossy and creamy, almost like custard. (The ones in my photo are cold, as I made a large batch of eggs yesterday. They still taste delicious, but aren't as pretty as yours will be!)

Once the daikon is tender, remove from heat and drizzle with toasted sesame oil.

Then plate this baby up: Rice, daikon, one or two eggs, and a drizzle of hot sauce. Creamy, bitter, spicy, savory goodness.

Needs pork, you say? Maybe next time.