Charred Greens Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Rinse the greens thoroughly to remove grit. Shake off excess water and pat dry or spin in a salad spinner. Trim any tough stems: for large kale or chard, remove the thick central rib and slice leaves into 1–1½ inch wide ribbons. Thin-stemmed greens (mustard, cavolo nero) can be left whole or roughly chopped.

Prep aromatics and almonds

Peel and thinly slice the garlic cloves. Finely slice the fresh red chilli lengthwise, remove seeds if you want less heat, and then thinly slice into half-moons. Zest the lemon and then cut it in half. Roughly toast the flaked almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, 2–3 minutes until fragrant and just browned; transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Char the greens

Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot (you should see faint smoke). Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and swirl. Add the greens in a single layer as much as possible — you may need to do this in two batches. Let the leaves sit without stirring for 45–60 seconds to develop a char, then toss or flip with tongs and let another 30–45 seconds until there are dark charred edges but the leaves are still vibrant. If the pan becomes dry and leaves need help wilting, add 1–2 tablespoons of water, cover for 30 seconds, then remove cover and continue to char. Transfer charred greens to a bowl and repeat with remaining greens, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed.

Sauté garlic & chilli

Wipe the skillet if it has excessive burnt bits (optional), then reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and just turning golden, about 30–60 seconds — do not let it burn. Add the sliced fresh chilli and optional red pepper flakes, and cook together for another 20–30 seconds to bloom the heat.

Combine and season

Return the charred greens to the pan with the garlic and chilli. Toss to coat in the flavored oil and continue to cook 1–2 minutes just to marry flavors and finish wilting any remaining toughness. Squeeze in juice from half the lemon (taste and add more if desired). Add salt, black pepper, and lemon zest; toss well. If mixture seems dry, add up to 1 tablespoon more olive oil.

Finish with almonds & serve

Transfer the greens to a serving platter or bowl. Scatter the toasted flaked almonds over the top and give a final grind of black pepper. Serve warm with the remaining lemon half on the side for additional squeeze. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3 days and can be reheated briefly in a skillet.