What Is Escarole?
It’s easy to mistake for lettuce, but it’s actually a slightly bitter green in the chicory family with endive, frisée, and radicchio. The leaves are a bit thick, like kale, have raggedy edges and are light green on the outside with often a pale yellow center on the inside. You can use escarole raw in salads, use it braised in soups (especially with white beans and sausage), or grill it. My favorite way to enjoy escarole was taught to me by my friend chef Kathi Riley, formerly of Chez Panisse and Zuni Cafe. It’s a simple sauté of the greens in olive oil with garlic.
How To Cook Escarole
The trick to this is to sauté the greens while they are still a bit wet. Escarole usually needs a good rinse with water to dislodge any remaining dirt that may be lurking in its folds and curls. So while the leaves are still wet, add them to the hot pan with oil. Hot oil and water aren’t usually happy friends (splatter alert!), but in this case, you add all the leaves at once, so any splattering takes place underneath the leaves, keeping you safe from sizzling oil projectiles. Why the water? Some parts of the escarole leaves are delicate, and can dry out in a hot pan. The water provides an extra buffer to keep the leaves from drying out while giving the escarole enough time to cook and wilt.
How To Serve Escarole
I usually eat the sautéed escarole on its own as a very simple vegetarian dish. It works also as a side green for dinner. Or, stir in some cooked white beans and Italian sausage and you’ll have a complete meal. If you don’t use the escarole immediately, wrap it in a paper towel and store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator’s vegetable crisper for four to five days. Before using the vegetable raw in a salad or cooking it, give it a thorough rinse since dirt can get trapped between the leaves.
More Ways To Enjoy Cooked Greens
Eggs Nested in Sautéed Chard and Mushrooms Dinosaur Kale with Baby Potatoes Kale with Sausage and White Beans Sautéed Greens with Pine Nuts and Raisins Southern Style Collard Greens
Use tongs to turn the escarole over in the pan as it cooks. Sprinkle with a little salt. Remove from the pan immediately to serve.
