Sautéed Escarole Recipe

3.8 from 8 ratings

Escarole is a big ingredient in the Italian-American pantry, so one will see it frequently on an Italian-American table. Escarole has always been abundant in American markets, whereas the dark-green vegetables such as chicory and broccoli rabe made their appearance much later. The usual recipe for sautéed escarole is escarola strascinata, “dragged” in the pan with garlic and oil. In this rendition, the addition of anchovies and black olives make it more festive and give the dish more complexity. Click here to see Lidia Bastianich's Take on Italian-American Cuisine.

Servings

servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 anchovy fillets
1 pound escarole, leaves trimmed and separated
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 cup pitted oil-cured black olives

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies, and cook, stirring, until the anchovies dissolve, about 2 minutes.
Add the whole escarole leaves to the skillet, with a little water from washing still clinging to them, and season with the salt. Stir in the olives. Once the escarole begins to wilt, cover the skillet and cook until the leaves are tender, about 8-10 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure the pan is not dry; if it is, add a few tablespoons of water and cover again.
Once the escarole is wilted and tender, uncover and cook for another 1-2 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid. Season with additional salt (keeping in mind that the anchovies and olives contain salt), and serve warm.