Steamed Eggs Nestled In A Bed Of Greens

Ingredients

• 2 handfuls of tender greens (such as spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard, turnip greens, cress or a mixture)
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon light olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and slivered
• ½ cup water
• 2 large eggs
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. If your greens are more mature, trim off the stalks and cut these into 1-inch pieces. Drop the stems into a pot full of boiling, lightly salted water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and run cold water over them. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces.
2. If the greens are young, the above step is not necessary. Instead, heat a wok or a large sauté pan (use a pan that has a tight-fitting cover), add the oil and, when it's hot, drop in the slivers of garlic. Cook, stirring, over quite high heat; before the garlic starts to brown, toss in all the greens (plus the blanched stems of the older ones). Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add about ½ cup water and cook until the greens are almost tender. Make two indentations in the center of the greens and crack the eggs into it.
3. Check to be sure there's enough water left to steam; if not, add a little more. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, cover and steam over medium heat. In 3 minutes, the egg(s) shouldbe just nicely done and almost all the liquid boiled away. Using a large slotted spatula remove the eggs carefully to a plate (making sure the remaining liquid runs off). Center eggs in the middle of the plate, with the greens around.