Moroccan Beet Greens
With just a few aromatics and spices, this recipe enhances the flavor of the beet greens without overwhelming them. Cooking them with a little bit of water, as instructed here, leaves them perfectly soft.
1. Wash the greens and leave them in a bowl full of cold, clean water.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When just warm, add the grated garlic, cumin, and paprika. (If the oil is too hot, the spices will fry and burn. You want just a little reaction to the heat.) As soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, remove the greens from the water without draining. Chop them coarsely and then add them to the pan. Turn the heat to medium and give everything one good stir to coat the greens with the spices. Cover tightly and turn down the heat. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. Check to ensure that it doesn’t burn; if you’re worried, add a little water.
3. Meanwhile, take ¼ of a preserved lemon (do not wash it), and slice it into ¼-inch cubes. Save a couple for decoration. Uncover the cooking pan and add the preserved lemon cubes and the chopped cilantro and parsley. Stir everything. Cover and let cook for 5 more minutes. To serve, drizzle about 1 tablespoon of a good olive oil on top. Garnish with the preserved lemon cubes and add a sprinkle of chili powder (or paprika if you don’t like hot spice). This goes well with a fried egg and is usually eaten with bread.
Contributed by Silly Apron for our Dark Leafy Greens Contest with Food52.
Originally featured in Dark, Leafy Green Recipes
