Quickly sautéed hardy greens are a staple side dish for busy nights. But when you have 20 more minutes to spare, cook down piles of greens with well-browned onions, LOTS of garlic, and a handful of Parm to render them into something special. Don’t even think about skimping on the garlic; using a halved head adds a lot to the dish, but because the cloves mostly stay contained, it won’t be overwhelming. Promise.
What you’ll need
Dutch Oven
$90 At Amazon
Microplane Grater
$18 At Amazon
Cutting Board
$10 At IKEA
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Heat ⅓ cup oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium. Arrange garlic halves, cut side down, in pot and scatter onion around; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring onion occasionally but keeping garlic cut side down, until onion is deep golden, 6–8 minutes.
Step 2
Add kale to pot by the handful, stirring and letting it wilt slightly before adding more; season generously with salt. Cook, stirring often, until all of the kale is deep green and just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add 1½ cups water, cover pot partially with a lid, and cook until liquid is reduced by half and kale is tender, 12–15 minutes.
Step 3
Add Parmesan to braised kale and cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and incorporated (sauce will thicken slightly), about 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
We recommended squeezing out the tender garlic cloves from the skins and mashing into the broth, or spreading them onto toast with an extra drizzle of olive oil. Discard skins.
