023Boiled wild greens

Method

Everyday village style. A vital side dish for grilled fish, lamb chops, or simply a block of feta and warm bread.

You will need

• large basin or clean sink
• large stockpot
• tongs
• colander

1. Trim any brown tips or tough root ends from the greens, then wash them in a deep basin of cold water in three or four changes until no grit remains at the bottom. 15 min Ready when: water completely clear of grit
2. Bring a large stockpot of water to a rolling boil over high heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of sea salt. 5 min · 100°C / 212°F Ready when: vigorous rolling boil
3. Add the thickest stems first if using mixed greens, then submerge all the leaves into the boiling water, pressing them down gently with a wooden spoon. 2 min Ready when: greens fully immersed
4. Boil uncovered over medium-high heat for 6 to 10 minutes until the thickest stems are tender when pinched but still retain slight firmness. 8 min Ready when: stems tender to the bite and leaves vibrant dark green
5. Lift the greens out immediately with tongs into a colander to drain thoroughly, preserving a mug of the hot green cooking water to drink if desired. 2 min Ready when: excess water drained away
6. Transfer the warm greens to a serving platter, pour generously with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately. 2 min Ready when: greens coated and glossy

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Make ahead and storing

Best freshly boiled; can be boiled up to 2 hours ahead and dressed just before serving at room temperature.

Store undressed greens in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Substitutions

• Swiss chard, spinach, or escarole for mixed wild or cultivated greens (such as dandelion, chicory, sow-thistle, or chard). Supermarket greens cook faster (3 to 5 minutes) and are less bitter.
• red wine vinegar for fresh lemon juice. Common in the Ionian islands and Crete for particularly bitter chicory.

Common mistakes

• Covering the pot with a lid during boiling. Trapping the volatile plant acids causes the chlorophyll to dull, turning vibrant greens an unappealing olive-drab colour.
• Under-salting the boiling water. Unsalted water draws out flavour and nutrients, leaving bitter greens flat rather than sweet and herbaceous.

Regional variants

• Vlyta vrasta: summer amaranth greens cooked with courgettes and baby potatoes.
• Cretan horta tsiaristika: blanched wild greens tossed briefly in olive oil in a skillet.

About the dish

Foraging for edible greens (horta) is an ancient, uninterrupted food practice across rural Greece, especially renowned in Crete and the Peloponnese. A standard seasonal mix may include radikia (chicory), vlyta (amaranth in summer), zochous (sow-thistle), or cultivated Swiss chard. Blanched rapidly in aggressively salted water until tender yet vibrant, the greens are served immediately or at room temperature, liberally bathed in cold-pressed virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. The cooking broth (zomos) is often drunk hot with lemon as a restorative tonic.

Found in all of Greece. Cooked for everyday, spring, lent, sunday lunch.

Cousins elsewhere

• Cicoria ripassata (Italian). Boiled bitter dandelion or chicory greens, finished with olive oil and garlic in central Italy.
• Horta vrasta (Cypriot). Cooked identically in Cyprus, often accompanied by fresh black olives and crusty sourdough.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

228 kcal · protein 5.5 g · fat 19.7 g (saturated 2.8 g) · carbohydrate 12 g (sugars 2 g) · fibre 7.5 g · sodium 3639 mg

An estimate (summed from ingredient estimates) that varies with the exact ingredients. It is not dietary advice.

Written fresh by Epikouria editors from general culinary tradition. Recipe by the Epikouria editors. Pan-Hellenic foraging and agrarian heritage, celebrated especially in Crete and mountainous mainland villages..

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