Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (I used butter or some kind of animal lard. Hey, you do what you have to do!)
- 1 small bunch escarole, chopped
- 1 medium bunch of chard (optimally red or multi-colored), chopped
- About 8 large leaves of Napa or savoy cabbage (I used good old Door County green or red cabbage.)
- 2 cups (packed) chopped mustard greens*
- 1 to 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium leeks, chopped
- 2 cups chopped red onion
- ¾ pound mushrooms, sliced (I omitted when they weren’t available. Here’s another small cottage industry opportunity for Door County.)
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- ½ small cauliflower, chopped
- 3 tablespoons balsamic or wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar.)
- 6 tablespoons (or more) Parmesan (Omit or substitute whatever Renard’s cheese is available.)
- Lots of fresh black pepper (Omit or use locally grown black cumin seed for flavor.)
Instructions
*Note: other types of greens can be substituted for the escarole, chard, and mustard. I used whatever I had on hand – kale, collards, broccoli or kohlrabi leaves, spinach greens, etc.
Heat one tablespoon of the oil (butter) in a deep skillet. Add the greens, a little at a time, salting lightly after each addition, and adding more greens as soon as the ones in the skillet cook down enough to make room. Use a fairly intense level of heat under the pot, and stir as you cook. When all the greens are wilted and tender, stir in the garlic. Cook and stir just a minute or two more, then transfer to a platter. Add the remaining oil to the skillet, and when it is hot, add leeks, onion, mushrooms, celery, and cauliflower. Salt lightly and stir-fry quickly over medium-high heat until just tender (about 5 to 8 minutes). Add to the platter, mix gently to incorporate the greens, and sprinkle with vinegar and cheese while still hot. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
This recipe is delicious alone or when eaten with the Hopi Blue Flour Corn Bread (see separate recipe).
