Is it Horta or Xorta? And how did l live all these years not knowing it?
I do love my greens. Not for health reasons — the feeling is sincere. Wilted spinach is my favorite movie popcorn. A die hard carnivore, for broccoli rabe and escarole I can forgo a steak. Love fried chicken but love collard greens just the same. While cooking, I eat rather than compost unused dill and parsley stems. But until a new restaurant opened next to my studio, I have never heard about these Greek bitter greens — Xorta or Horta.
Well, I have heard about dandelions and used their leaves in salads — our back yard provides plenty. But that boiled version was a revelation.
A little research exposed not only other interested people but also a good amount of Greek recounting painful childhood memories of their mothers forcing the said greens on them time and time again. Why was I not born in Greece?
Anyway, here’s green on green — my new all time favorite side dish — Horta or Xorta, aka boiled dandelion leaves.
It is so simple that there is no even a recipe. Just an instruction to boil for ten minutes, drain, and eat it spiked with good olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. That’s it. Not even garlic!