Vegoladas Wild Greens Food

HORTA (BOILED GREEK WILD LEAFY GREENS)

Steps:

• Wash the wild leafy greens thoroughly and drain.
• Into a large saucepan pour the olive oil, add the onions and leeks and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until wilted.
• Add the wild greens and mix with a wooden spoon. As soon as they become wilted, lower the heat and add 1/2 cup of water.
• With the lid on, simmer for 35 minutes, until the wild greens are boiled.
• In the meantime, prepare the feta sauce. Into a blender add the feta cheese (crushed).
• In a small pot, warm the milk and the milk cream at low heat. Right before it comes to the boil, remove from the stove and let it cool for 1 minute.
• Pour the milk in the blender, along with the herbs and spices and blend, until the sauce becomes smooth.
• Serve the horta at room temperature and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Top with the feta sauce and some grated tomato, if you wish.

GRILLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus and green onions. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. The key to getting those great grill marks is to not shift the vegetables too frequently once they've been placed on the hot grill.
• Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herb mixture over the vegetables. Serve the vegetables, warm or at room temperature.

WILTED GREENS

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with cold water. Trim and discard the greens tough stems, tear the leaves into pieces and wash them in the water. (If the greens are very dirty wash them in several changes of water.) Lift the greens from the water, and put them in a colander to drain. Set aside.
• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned and its fat has rendered, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the greens in batches, starting with the tougher greens, like kale, and ending with the more tender ones, like chard, stirring each batch as they wilt, before adding more. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.