Katherine’s Cooked Greens Salad
(Serves two as a meal, four as a side).
One bunch Chard
One head Escarole
A few large white mushrooms
A little onion
A little garlic
About a half cup of pecans
Quarter cup quinoa (uncooked)
Quarter to a half cup green or brown lentils (uncooked)
A little chutney
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Start your lentils cooking first. Rinse them and pick them over to remove any debris, and cover with about an inch of water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about a half hour, until tender.
Meanwhile, chop the onions and garlic and sauté them over medium heat in about a tablespoon or two of olive oil (I never measure how much, just enough to coat the bottom of your pan).
Start the quinoa in another saucepan, again rinsing it first, and covering with about a half inch or so of water. It will only take about 15 minutes to cook.
Slice the mushrooms and add them to the pan once the onions and garlic are nice and fragrant. Chop up the greens into bite-sized pieces, keeping in mind that they’ll cook down a bit, and add them to the pan once the mushrooms have browned slightly.
While those are cooking (stir occasionally) toast some pecans in an ungreased, hot frypan (once the pan is hot, the toast in just a few minutes). Stir them a couple of times while toasting.
Once the greens have reduced in bulk by about half, they’re done. As your ingredients are cooked, transfer each of them to a large mixing bowl. Strain the lentils and quinoa, add them to the bowl with the cooked greens, and then add the toasted pecans. Add a couple of tablespoons of your favorite chutney (I like peach, but mango is good and readily available). Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir the whole mess and serve warm.
Remember that you don’t have to use all the ingredients and that you can add more or less of whatever. You can add a little grated parmesan or crumbled stinky cheese if you’ve got it, too. Enjoy!