Stuffed Escarole. . .a great side dish all year round!

Stuffed Escarole

1 Large Head of Escarole cleaned and chopped

1 Cup of sliced Mushrooms (White or Baby Portobella)

1/2 Cup chopped Red Bell Pepper

1/4 Cup Chopped Sweet Yellow Onion

2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced

1/3 Cup sliced Black or Kalamata Olives

2 Tblspn.  Capers (Non-Pareil)

1/2 Cup Gluten Free Bread Crumbs (Unseasoned)

1 Tspn. Salt

1 Tblspn. Ground Black Pepper

1/4 Tspn. Crushed Red Pepper Flake

1 Tblspn. Dried Parsley

1/2 Tspn. Dried Basil

1/4 Tspn. Dried Oregano

1 Cup of Water

1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice

3 Tblspn. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Place the cleaned and chopped Escarole in a sauce pan with the water and lemon juice over medium heat.  Cover and let simmer until Escarole is cooked.  Drain and set aside.  In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium/high heat.  Add the garlic, onion, red bell pepper and allow to cook approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the mushrooms and cook approximately 2 more minutes.  Add the drained and cooked Escarole stirring to incorporate the ingredients and allow to cook until Escarole is heated through.  Add salt, pepper, red pepper flake, parsley, basil and oregano, capers and olives and stir to incorporate.  Reduce heat to simmer and allow to cook for 5 minutes.  Add bread crumbs and stir to incorporate and to allow the bread crumbs to absorb any standing liquid.  Serve immediately.

Serves 6 as a side dish.  Recipe can be doubled.

Note:  When cleaning Escarole, it is very important to make sure that all dirt is washed off or else the dish will be gritty.  It normally takes several rinses.  Often it is necessary to lift the leaves individually as overall rinsing with the kitchen sprayer or faucet is not always sufficient.