Quick ideas
3 greens in a pan - 3 ideas
Getting a good side of greens in your meal can feel like a faff, especially if you feel like you need to use multiple pans and cooking methods to ensure a good variety. These three side dishes illustrate the principle that you can build an interesting mix of greens in a single pan, if you know the best order in which to add them.
Adding a dash of water and clamping on the lid creates a steamy atmosphere that will cook some things more efficiently than relying on contact with the pan alone. The excess water can be cooked off to stop anything from getting soggy. We’ve given each dish a different character by adding some flavour at the end, but feel free to play around with other additions.
Cook's notes
These varieties reflect the veg available in the new year, but the principle can be applied in any season. You’ll find that summer veg tend to be less robust and faster to cook.
Ingredients
Courgettes, Calabrese broccoli & spinach
- 2 courgettes, cut into 2cm angled pieces
- 200g Calabrese, tenderstem or purple sprouting broccoli, trimmed into long, thin florets (using all the stalk)
- 150g spinach, thoroughly washed
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Fennel, leeks & black kale
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 large leek, halved, cleaned, and roughly sliced
- head of black kale, stripped from the stalks and roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp carraway seeds, roughly crushed
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche – optional
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Brussel sprouts, French beans & leeks
- 300g Brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 200g French beans, trimmed and sliced into 3cm pieces
- 1 large leek, halved, cleaned, and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
- oil for cooking (e.g. sunflower)
- salt
- soy sauce – optional
Method
Courgettes, Calabrese broccoli & spinach
-
Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, shallow pan (one that has a lid). Add the courgettes and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, turning often, until they are starting to soften and colour a little. Don’t season them yet, as salt will make them too soggy at this stage.
-
Step 2
Next, add the broccoli, along with a dash of water (2-3 tablespoons is about right). Clamp the lid on tightly and let everything cook for a further 5 minutes.
-
Step 3
Remove the lid and nibble the stalk of some broccoli to check it’s just cooked. Turn up the heat a little to drive away any excess water, then add the spinach and garlic. Cook for a minute or two, until the spinach has wilted and the raw edge has gone from the garlic. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Fennel, leeks & black kale
-
Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, shallow pan (one that has a lid). Add the fennel and a generous seasoning of salt. Cook on medium/high heat for 5-6 minutes, until starting to colour lightly at the edges.
-
Step 2
Add the leek, along with a dash of water (2-3 tablespoons is about right). Clamp the lid on tightly and let everything cook for a further 5 minutes.
-
Step 3
Next, add the chopped kale and pop the lid back on for about 3 minutes, until it has started to wilt. Remove the lid, turn up the heat, and drive away any excess water, until things start to catch and colour a little on the bottom of the pan. Everything should be completely tender by now.
-
Step 4
Stir in the mustard and carraway, and give it a final minute on the heat while you mix them through. Remove from the heat, and tweak the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking. Swirl the crème fraîche through just before serving, if using.
Brussel sprouts, French beans & leeks
-
Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide, shallow pan (one that has a lid). Add the sprouts and a pinch of salt. Cook on medium/high heat for 3-4 minutes, until starting to colour lightly at the edges.
-
Step 2
Add the beans, along with a dash of water (2-3 tablespoons is about right). Clamp the lid on tightly and let everything cook for a further 3 minutes.
-
Step 3
Next, add the leek. Pop the lid back on for about 3-4 minutes, until it has started to soften. Remove the lid and add the garlic, chilli, and ginger. Turn up the heat, and cook until any excess water is driven away and everything smells fragrant. Everything should be completely tender by now.
-
Step 4
Taste and tweak the seasoning with more salt, or soy sauce if you prefer, to your liking.