Crisp, cold lettuce might not be your “go-to” meal on a cool, autumn night. But if you are really hankering for greens, consider trying a warm salad. 

Warm salads are made with cooked vegetables and are low in sugar.  They are also high in antioxidant vitamins and low in starch.

Philip Meeker, a chef and food educator at Brightseed, demonstrates the perfect way to create a warm green salad. 

Warm green salad

“First, we are going to put our pan on high heat,” says Meeker. “Start by cutting up the collards, but don’t throw away the stems. These are delicious, tender and nutritious, if you cut them up small.”

Once your pan is very hot, take all of the greens and put them in the pan.

“They will immediately start to sear, and some of them will even blacken,” says Meeker. “This is ok. Make sure not to move them. Leave them there so you can get nice caramelization.”

While your greens are cooking, start prepping your other ingredients.

“Chop up the fennel nice and rough, says Meeker. “For the carrots, just take your peeler and peel little thin slices. For the radish, it’s the same thing.”

Remove the greens from the pan.  Put them on the plate and add a little salt. Next take your toppings, and spread them around the plate to make it look visually appealing.

“Take some of the mizuna leaves, put them on, and add a few more carrots for color,” says Meeker. “Now it’s time to dress the salad. Slice the lemon right in half and juice it right through your hand. Take your olive oil and just pour it over the top of the salad to give yourself a nice rich dressing.”

Bon appetite! 

For more great cooking demonstrations, click here.

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