Recipe of the Week: Trisha’s Lemon Spring Greens

Reader Trisha H. kindly sent us one of her favorite side dish recipes, for Lemon Spring Greens. This serves four.

Ingredients

• 18 ounces (or 500 g) of spring greens.
• 1 large lemon without wax.
• Sea salt, to taste.
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
• 2 TBS virgin olive oil.

Directions

1. Grate the lemon zest (the outermost part of the peel) finely onto a cutting board, then transfer to a small jar for which you have a lid.
2. Cut the lemon in half.
3. Squeeze half the juice into the jar, over a wire mesh strainer. (Be careful to strain out any seeds.)
4. Add the virgin olive oil to the jar.
5. Add small pinch of salt. (To suit your taste, or your doctor’s orders.)
6. Add small pinch of pepper. (To suit your taste.)
7. Put the lid securely on the jar, and then shake it well.
8. Taste test it to see whether you think it needs any more lemon juice or oil. You’ll want it to still have a nice zing, once it is on the spring greens.
9. Half-fill a large saucepan with cold water and add a small pinch of salt.
10. Put pan on a high flame, and bring to a boil.
11. While that is coming up to a boil, trim and cut the spring greens in half lengthwise, then finely slice them.
12. Once the water is boiling, add the spring greens and cook for 3 to 4 minutes–just until tender but still bright green.
13. Once cooked, drain the spring greens over the sink in a colander. Steam dry te greens for a minute, and then tip back into the pan.
14. Shake the dressing again, and then drizzle it over the greens.
15. Gently toss the spring greens with salad or taco tongs in the dressing while still hot, to help the greens  soak up all the dressing.
16. Transfer to a bowl.
17. Serve immediately.

Serving Note: This should be the final dish that you prepare before serving dinner, to avoid having the greens get soggy.