Komatsuna with Garlic, Raisins & Pine Nuts

What looked something like collard greens in this week’s share were komatsuna, a Japanese green leafy with, I think, a fairly mild flavor. Milder than collards or kale, for sure. When I’m in doubt about what to do with something green, I usually just add garlic and lemon, salt and pepper, and a little olive oil…and its gotta taste good! I threw in some raisins and pine nuts, which I guess must make this dish sort of a Mediterranean-Asian fusion…The best part is, NO COOKING required, which means your kitchen stays cooler, there is one fewer pan to wash, and all of the nutrients in your greens, raisins and pine nuts are raring to go!

One medium bunch greens (here, komatsuna, but kale, chard, collards, and escarole are all tasty this way!)
1/3 cup raisins
¼ cup raw (untoasted) pine nuts
1 large clove of garlic
½ a lemon
Olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper

Remove the hard part of the stems/stalks from your greens, and stack them, slicing several leaves at a time into ½ inch ribbons. (Be sure to wash and dry them well either before or after slicing!) Place greens in a large bowl, with some room to toss them.
Slice/shave garlic into very very thin slices. There are special little slicers for this, or you could use a vegetable peeler.
Toss garlic, raisins and pine nuts with greens, as well as 2 teaspoons of lemon juice (or more, to taste), a tablespoon of olive oil (to coat the greens – use a little more if you have a really big bunch!), a ¼ teaspoon of salt, and a dash of black pepper. Toss really well until every thing is coated, and adjust lemon, salt and pepper to taste.
Cover, and let sit for ½ hour or so before serving, tossing a couple more times. This will server several people as a side dish, or makes a great big salad, as well!