Recipe: Greens with Spicy Lemon-Cumin Oil

GREENS WITH SPICY LEMON-CUMIN OIL

Salt
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1 pound mixed leafy greens (such as mustard, kale, collard, beet, turnip, chard) without stems
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
4 tablespoons Spicy Lemon-Cumin Oil (recipe follows)

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rapid boil.

Meanwhile, toast pine nuts over medium heat in a small, dry skillet, stirring frequently. Transfer nuts to a small bowl.

Fill a large bowl with ice water. One variety at a time, cook the greens in the boiling water until they are tender and bright green, 2 to 7 minutes, depending on the variety. Plunge cooked greens into the bowl of ice water and leave them there, adding each variety after it cooks.

Drain greens; pat dry. Pick up a large clump of the greens and wring out as much liquid as you can. Chop finely. Repeat until all the greens are chopped.

Warm olive oil and garlic clove in a large skillet over medium-low heat until garlic becomes fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add greens; cook, stirring, until all the liquid has evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add lemon-cumin oil 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until each addition is completely absorbed. Continue to cook until greens are very soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in toasted pine nuts; cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

SPICY LEMON-CUMIN OIL
Makes about 1/2 cup

Zest (colored portion of peel) of 1 lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

With a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon in long strips. Combine oil, zest, cumin and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan; warm over low heat until the zest curls and sizzles, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep at least 1 hour. Strain the oil.

Spicy Lemon-Cumin Oil will keep, refrigerated in a tightly covered jar, for 2 to 3 days.

Makes 4 servings
Adapted from source: How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parsons