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Horta vrasta
Boiled greens with lemon and oil
Horta vrasta: boiled wild or garden greens dressed with lemon and olive oil
In Greek villages women still go out with a knife and a bag after the first autumn rains to gather horta: dandelion, wild chicory, amaranth, mustard greens. Boiled and dressed with the best olive oil and lemon, they are served warm or cool with almost every meal, from fried fish in a seaside taverna to a fasting-day plate of beans. The taste is pleasantly bitter and grassy. Common mistake: boiling them to khaki; cook only until the stems are tender and the leaves still deep green. Chef's tip: salt the cooking water generously like pasta water and dress the greens while warm, so they drink up the oil and lemon.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coarse saltfor the water
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemonjuiced, plus wedges to serve
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Trim tough roots and yellow leaves from 2 ¼ lb mixed bitter greens (dandelion, chicory, chard, mustard or amaranth) and wash them in several changes of cold water until no grit settles at the bottom of the sink.
Step 2: Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1 tbsp coarse salt. Add the greens and cook for 6–10 minutes, depending on toughness, until the thickest stems are tender when pierced.
8 minStep 3: Drain well, pressing lightly, and pile onto a platter.
Step 4: While still warm, pour over ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon and sprinkle with ½ tsp flaky sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does horta vrasta take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemon?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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