Turnip Green "alla Romana"
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Loading...Turnip Green are, after artichokes, the most loved vegetable by us Romans who, mistakenly, call it “Broccoletti” (little Broccoli) even if it have nothing to do with Broccoli. In this recipe I will tell you exactly how the tradition of Italian Cooking wants it to be cooked: a rather interesting technique that does not involve boiling, but cooking directly in oil, garlic and peperoncino. The result? Great, I assure you!
Ingredients
- Turnip Green 1kg approx.
- Garlic 2 cloves
- Peperoncino
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
Instructions
Clean the Turnip Green by removing the stems from which you will tear the leaves and shoots (that are the tastiest part). Break the larger leaves into two or three pieces
Collect the vegetables in the sink and wash them thoroughly, leaving them in water for at least 10 minutes to rehydrate
In the meantime, put plenty of extra virgin olive oil in a deep pot (the one for pasta is fine) with 2 cloves of garlic and a little peperoncino
Now be careful: you must be able to move the vegetables from the soaking water to the pot without squeezing them, so that they will be very, very wet and can cook without burning. I do this: I collect the leaves in a colander placed over a basin and bring everything close to the pot.
As soon as the garlic begins to brown, I throw half of the wet vegetables into the pot where, in contact with the oil, will begin to sizzle noisily (don't worry, it's normal!). After a minute, when the pot… stops grumbling, I add the rest of the vegetables, the salt and close with a lid
Cook over medium heat, covered. After about 15 minutes, the leaves will have lost half their volume and you will notice a lot of liquid in the bottom of the pot, that you would not have expected. If this were not the case, it means that you have not washed the vegetables sufficiently or that you squeezed them: remember, the secret of this cooking is to have very wet leaves... soaked! You can, if necessary, add a little warm water
Continue cooking for at least half an hour, until the vegetables are very soft and succulent
Notes
In Italy, going down from Rome to Sicily, you will find, with Turnip Green, many other types of leafy vegetables that can become an excellent side dish but which are also fantastic for seasoning pasta or in soups. Simple and healthy ingredients that we respect: we don't boil them first, but we cook them directly in (abundant) oil to save not only their taste and color, but also their nutritional qualities.
Italian CookingTips
We call “a crudo” (raw) cooking the technique of not boiling the vegetables but cooking them directly in oil and garlic. To do this, you must wash and moisten the leaves very well so that they carry the necessary water in the pot to avoid burning
ItalianCookingTips
If possible, I never boil vegetables before cooking them: why disperse nourishment, flavor and color in the water? Try this recipe by applying it to different vegetables: with a little experience you will finally have tasty and tasty vegetables. Only the spinach is too delicate … my tip is to steam it!
ItalianCookingTips
The best way to enjoy Turnip Green is on a slice of lightly toasted bread, with a drizzle of oil
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