Braised Escarole with Parmesan Crust

Braised Escarole with Parmesan Crust

Serves 8

You can use chicory in place of escarole. The braising mellows the flavour and gives the greens a silky, rich texture.

• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 2 large heads escarole, washed, dried and cut into 2-inch (5-cm) strips
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 325 ?/FONT> F (165 ?/FONT> C). In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saut?until lightly browned. Add the escarole and garlic and cook until the escarole wilts. Add the rosemary, lemon zest, white wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, season lightly with salt and pepper and transfer to a wide, shallow baking dish. Cover and place in the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove the dish from the oven and increase the temperature to 400 ?/FONT> F (200 ?/FONT> C). Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the escarole. Bake until the top is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes.