I probably eat this at least once a week in various forms, adjusting the greens and spices according to what’s in season, what’s in the fridge and what I fancy. I vaguely think of this as Temple Food, great for a Monday after a weekend of over-indulgent eating. Photograph by Alan Benson, recipe from my book Easy Mediterranean.
Serves 2–4
2 tablespoons olive oil
250 g (9 oz) mixed greens such as kale, spring greens, wild garlic, savoy cabbage, beetroot greens, turnip tops and parsley, thinly sliced
sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
60–125 ml (2–4 fl oz/¼–½ cup) chicken or vegetable stock
a pinch of Aleppo pepper or
chilli flakes
4 eggs
1 avocado, sliced
3 tablespoons Greek-style yoghurt
smoked paprika, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Warm the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over medium–high heat and add the mixed greens, handful by handful, stirring and allowing them to wilt as you go. It might seem like you have too many greens but don’t worry, they will cook down. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then stir-fry for a couple of minutes until all the greens have softened slightly.
Add the garlic and a splash of the stock, then continue to stir-fry for a couple more minutes until the leaves are tender. Add as much stock as you need to prevent the greens drying out and sticking to the pan, but you don’t want any liquid left when the greens are cooked.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes. Make four indentations in the greens and crack an egg into each one, then arrange the avocado slices around the eggs. Stir the yoghurt well to loosen it, then spoon it in blobs over the greens and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until the egg whites are just set and the yolks are still runny. Serve immediately, accompanied by some good bread, if you like.