This new, no-cook technique turns
hearty fall greens into a tender salad in minutes
There’s an amazing tool for transforming
bitter, dark leafy greens into a tender, melts-in-your-mouth salad packed with
punchy citrus, garlic and Parmesan. And it’s only an arm’s length away: your
hands! A few minutes of judicious massaging (think Rolfing, not Reiki) will
completely transform kale, mustard greens or Broccoli Rabe into something
velvety and soft. The secret is in the squeezing: by doing so you actually
start to break down the cell walls, releasing enzymes that split apart the
bitter-tasting compounds. That's great news for anyone who’s wanted to enjoy
these greens’ amazing benefits (they're packed with dietary fiber and
bone-healthy vitamin K) but couldn’t learn to love the taste. Turns out that if
you want your greens to mellow out, all you have to do is give them a massage.
1. Prep
Start with 2 bunches of kale, mustard
greens or Broccoli Rabe. Strip kale or mustard leaves from stems (discard
stems). For Broccoli Rabe, separate the florets from the leaves; cut large
florets into bite-size pieces. Wash and dry the leaves (and florets). Tear the
leaves into small pieces and place everything in a large bowl.
2. Season
Add 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese,
% cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1A cup lemon juice, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1
tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce, 1 minced anchovy fillet (optional),1/2
teaspoon freshly ground pepper and V* teaspoon salt to the greens.
3. Massage
With clean hands, firmly massage and crush
the greens until the volume is reduced by about half (1 to 2 minutes). They
should look a little darker and somewhat shiny and have a silky, soft texture.
Makes 6 servings, about 2 cups each.
With
clean hands, firmly massage and crush the greens until the volume is reduced by
about half (1 to 2 minutes)
