BRAISED CAVOLO NERO & SILVERBEET WITH CHILLI, GARLIC & PARMESAN

Serves 4

This is one of my favourite sides and very hard for me to go past if I’m dining at Bar & Grill. I just love that deep rich dark green flavour. It’s a great match with steak and don’t underestimate its magic under a piece of grilled fish. I love this topped with a slow-cooked egg, too.

3 bunches cavolo nero (black kale)

3 bunches silverbeet (Swiss chard)

80 ml (2½ fl oz/ ¹/₃ cup) extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion, finely diced

10 garlic cloves, finely diced

2 anchovy fillets, finely diced

2 dried chillies, seeds removed & finely diced

200 ml (7 fl oz) white chicken stock

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Remove the stems from the silverbeet and cavolo nero. Slice the leaves into 2 cm (¾ inch) thick strips and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, anchovy and chilli and cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic starts to colour. Add the stock, silverbeet and cavolo nero and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring regularly, for about 25 minutes or until the leaves are very tender. The leaves will lose their vibrancy and turn a deep green.

Add the lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper and mix well. Serve scattered with the parmesan.