Bulgur Pilaf With Mixed Greens and Garlic

This recipe is from Nizip, in southeastern Turkey. The secret is cutting the greens into thin strips and steaming them with the bulgur so the grains become infused with the flavor. This is best prepared with Tuscan kale, which is also called black, lacinato or dinosaur kale. Sweet greens include spinach, mache, Swiss chard, pea shoots, young nettles, lamb's quarters and salad burnet. Earthy greens include turnip, beat and collard greens and Tuscan and Russian kale.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  small head of garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
•  salt
• 1  lb yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1  lb  mixed sweet and earthy greens, stemmed and finely shredded (such as Tuscan kale, Swiss chard and beet greens)
• 1  cup  coarse bulgur (3 1/2 ounces)
• 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 1⁄2 teaspoons  turkish  red pepper paste
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  turkish red pepper flakes
• 1⁄2 cup water
•  scallion, and
•  lemon wedge, for serving

Directions

1. On a work surface, mash the chopped garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt.
2. In a large, deep saucepan, combine the mashed garlic with the onions, mixed greens, bulgur, olive oil, red pepper paste, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
3. Season with salt.
4. Using your hands, work the water into the bulgur until it is absorbed.
5. Cover the greens with a paper towel.
6. Set the saucepan over low heat, cover and steam the greens and bulgur until they're very tender, about 30 minutes.
7. Serve the bulgur hot or cold, garnished with the scallions and lemon wedges.