Greens With Spiced Butter And Fresh Ricotta Food

GREEN SALAD WITH BROWN BUTTER WALNUT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and add the walnuts, butter, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook very gently, stirring often, until the walnuts turn golden brown and the garlic has cooked, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet to slow the cooking, and set aside.
• When ready to serve, toss the greens with a little salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice and vinegar to the walnut mixture and spoon the nuts over the salad, adding as much of the dressing as needed to lightly coat the leaves. Add the blue cheese, and toss again.

PASTA WITH TOMATOES, GREENS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes or serrano. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add tomatoes and thyme. Add salt to taste and a pinch of sugar. Cook tomatoes over medium heat, stirring often, until they have cooked down to a fragrant purée, about 10 minutes.
• Add chopped broccoli leaves or collards, which should still have some water on them from washing. Add salt to taste. Stir greens and tomatoes until greens have collapsed, then turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes. Add pepper, taste and adjust seasoning.
• Meanwhile, when pasta water comes to a boil, salt generously and add pasta. Cook until al dente, usually 10 to 11 minutes. Have ricotta in a small bowl near pasta pot.
• Stir 1/4 cup pasta water into ricotta and stir mixture into vegetables. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta water. Drain pasta and toss with vegetable and ricotta mixture; add reserved water if desired. Add parsley, toss again and serve.

PAPPARDELLE WITH GREENS AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the greens (you may have to do this in two batches). After the water returns to a boil, boil two to four minutes until the greens are tender. Using a deep-fry skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer them to the ice water. Do not drain the hot water in the pot, as you'll use it to cook the pasta. Drain the greens, squeeze dry and chop.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute just until fragrant, and stir in the greens. Toss in the hot pan for about a minute, just until the greens are lightly coated with oil and fragrant with garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
• Place the ricotta in a large pasta bowl. Bring the water for the pasta back to a boil, and add the pappardelle. Cook al dente. Ladle 1/2 cup of the cooking water from the pasta into the ricotta and stir together. Drain the pasta, and toss with the ricotta, greens and cheeses. Serve at once.

ONE-POT BRAISED CHARD WITH GNOCCHI, PEAS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and chard stems, and cook until tender and lightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, thyme and a large pinch of salt and black pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add wine, scraping up the brown bits at bottom of pot, and let the wine reduce by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour in stock and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer.
• Stir in gnocchi and chard leaves. Cook, partly covered, for 15 minutes, until the chard is soft. Add peas and tarragon, and continue to cook, partly covered, until gnocchi are cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
• To serve, top with parsley, a generous shower of Parmesan and a big squeeze of lemon. If you like, you can also add a dollop of ricotta and some red-pepper flakes.

3-INGREDIENT CHARRED GREEN BEANS WITH RICOTTA AND LEMON

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat (or heat a grill pan over medium-high). If using a grill, arrange green beans in a grill basket and place on hot grill. Cover and grill, turning once halfway through, until beans are lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. If using a grill pan, cook green beans directly on pan, tossing occasionally, until lightly charred, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip ricotta, 3 Tbsp. oil, and 3/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Spread whipped ricotta on a serving platter and arrange charred green beans over. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges alongside.