Prep Time 5 Minutes
Serves 2
Cook Time 5 Minutes
Difficulty Easy
The end of February marks the start of Spring in Liguria. After a few days of sunshine, wild herbs and flowers carpet the countryside. The terraces of our olive groves provide us with a wealth of wild herbs and greens - borage, thyme, spinach, nettles, garlic, bay, and wild asparagus grow in abundance amongst the olive trees and are there free for the gathering.
The Ligurian diet is traditionally not rich in meat. Instead, herbs and vegetables often mixed with rice feature in dishes such as stuffed vegetables or the traditional Torta Verde - literally green pie. We have created this simple recipe for spring greens. It's so delicious with a lashing of Nudo's extra virgin olive oil or any of Nudo's flavoured olive oils. Adding something like rocket or chicory into the mix can spice it up, but spinach, cavolo nero, or sprouting broccoli are terrific with lamb.
Ingredients
- We used a mixture of chard, cavolo nero, nettles & asparagus but really its up to you. Just remember variety is key as is freshness.
Method
- Wash all of the greens well in cold running water and steam over a large pan of boiling water until the stems are just soft. Be careful not to overcook the greens. It is a delicate balance to get them to perfection especially if you are cooking a variety of leaves at once.
- Drain well and serve with lashings of Nudo’s lemon-flavoured olive oil for those who like it extra tangy, serve with a small jug of freshly squeezed lemon. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.