Taking ideas from Dana: grilled escarole

Ok, I'm not going to offer any excuses other than I've been lazy. Here I am, promising you tons of new recipes, and then not showing up for a week. What a bad person I am.
But look, let's face it: how many of you have cooked anything that I've listed in the last month? Hmmmmm.

Just as I thought.... So, let's share the blame.

I have not been feeling well, and I have also been trying to accommodate all the changes in my life - no easy task, let me tell you. I mean, go ahead, YOU try to go running every day, take an Italian class, take a guitar class, try to read all of Thomas Hardy (I was supposed to be finished by Memorial Day. Guess what? Ain't gonna happen), deal with the various idiosyncracies of my human menagerie (where I love all the animals), and then try to write a recipe every day.

No excuse, right? Ah, no rest for the weary. So here's an easy one.

When we were in California, my friend Dana Tommasina (who has her own blog by the way), cooked up an incredible pork chop, wrapped in prosciutto for me. My cholesterol probably went up three points after eating it, but it was worth it. And she had, as a side dish, grilled escarole.

Dana is a cook who is not afraid of high heat, or of browning things. There is nothing subtle about her cooking. Like yours truly, it is "in your face," all the time. Those of you who feel that the perfect meal would be poached filet of sole with peeled grapes, would not like this cooking. But if you're a person who smiles when that blast of salt, toasted nuts, and roasted peppers hits you when you put some romesco sauce in your mouth, get a reservation to Dana's restaurant (Woodward's Garden, in SF), IMMEDIATELY.

This is an attempt to copy her recipe for that escarole. We ate it last night with quick grilled tuna, and basmati rice. Guy had actually suggested it. We had a whole bunch of nice veggies to choose from, and he thought the balance of sweet and bitter would play off of the fish, and he was right.

Like I said, this is very easy to do. I promise.

You will need a large head of escarole. Don't put one down because you think you won't finish it. You will. It is going to cook down a lot. Now, check inside the leaves, because escarole can be dirty. IF it is, you're going to have to wash it, and here's a hint: you're going to have to cut the head of escarole into at least quarters, so do it before you wash it. Washing the smaller pieces is easier. I had a head of it that was just over a pound in size, and quarters were the right size. If your escarole is bigger, make more pieces. By the way, don't try this with baby escarole, which deserves a place in soups or with strongly dressed salads.

After you have cleaned and cut (or, cut and cleaned), the escarole, drop the quarters into a pot of salted, boiling water. Greens like this take a very short time to cook. Escarole is pretty sturdy, so you don't have to worry about overcooking, as long as you don't go for more than, say 3-4 minutes. Have a colander ready, fish out the greens, and let them drain and cool. When they're cool enough to handle, pat them as dry as you can.

If you are going to grill, or fry, the greens in a flat pan, coat it with oil. If, on the other hand, you're using a ridged pan, rub the greens with oil. The reason for the difference is that you want to prevent sticking, and on a ridged pan, the greens will stick because it's harder to keep the ridges oiled. Whatever pan you use, get it really hot.

When it's hot, carefully put the greens in. You have to be careful here, because the greens will still be wet. They will sizzle , and more than just about anything that Annalena has told you about listening to food, these will tell you when they're ready. The water will go off, and you will have almost a silent pan. Take a look at the surface of the greens. If they are dark enough for you, turn em over and do it again. If not, let them wait a bit more, and then do it.

THERE! They are all done. And you will enjoy this. Escarole has a pleasantly bitter taste, like all chicories, and the carmelization is very pleasant.

You can do this with radicchio, with endive, any of the veggies that fall in the chicory family. If you don't know what they are - LOOK IT UP.

I will be coming back to you with some new recipes. By request, I am making meatloaf later this week. When was the last time you had good meatloaf? Mine is REALLY good, and I'm gonna give you proportions to make enough to have for several meals and sandwiches. You will love me for it. And, by special request, you will also have my recipe for fried potatoes with new garlic. STAY TUNED!!!!