Spicy Sautéed Broccoli Rabe

As soon as I saw the recipe for “Spicy Sautéed Broccoli Rabe”, page 359, I balked. My limited experiences (aka experiments) with broccoli rabe have not been favorable, or flavorful, for that matter. I love greens of all kinds, even those most people seem to eschew, so I was perplexed when I didn’t immediately warm up to rabe. It is truly the most bitter green, bitter vegetable, I’ve ever tried. When I read in the recipe notes that spinach, chard, or escarole could stand in for the broccoli rabe, I breathed a huge sigh of relief! I opted to use spinach, and was very pleased with the results.

This is a simple combination of cooked greens, freshly minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. The recipe also calls for olive oil, but I omitted altogether, no substitutions required. I’ve been cooking and serving all varieties of greens (except broccoli rabe!) oil free, for so long, that I don’t even miss it. In fact, nowadays when I am served greens that have had oil added to them, they taste very peculiar to me.

I can’t imagine a more pleasing combination of flavors, or a better way to serve greens than this!

Keeping it “McDougall Friendly” check list:

• Omit the olive oil altogether; use a nonstick skillet and/or a teaspoon of water or broth to sauté the garlic. Most greens don’t require any extra moisture for sautéing, as they release their own liquid as they cook.