Amaranth definitely falls into that category. It’s a versatile, ancient grain, but its less-famous leaves are edible too. However, unlike radish greens and carrot tops, eating them raw can be a challenge. Its pleasant, grassy flavor quickly turns into a chalky, bitter aftertaste that feels like it’s camping in the back of your throat the rest of the day.

I recently received a beautiful bunch of dark purple amaranth leaves from Harmony Valley Farm in Viroqua, Wisconsin, and put them right to work in my sauté pan with some fresh yukina savoy greens (which add a tasty mustard component), creating the base for this delicious, rustic, garden-heavy frittata. (Click "read more" for recipe.)

Feel free to add and experiment with different ingredients from your garden, especially any surplus greens you may have in addition to the amaranth leaves. I had a huge supply of yukina savoy, so this frittata was a great way to use them up and create something delicious.

Ingredients:
Approximately 5 to 7 oz of amaranth leaves, with stalks
Approximately 5 to 7 oz of yukina savoy, or another braising green, with stalks
6 eggs
3 to 4 plum tomatoes (or 1 large tomato), diced
12 kalamata olives
2 small unpeeled zucchini, diced
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ onion, diced
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 oz feta cheese, diced
1 tbsp herb-infused olive oil
Salt to taste  

Method:
1.   Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Wash and rinse amaranth leaves and braising greens. Rough chop into slightly larger-than-bite size. They will wilt and shrink in the sauté pan. Stalks can be chopped into bite-size or smaller pieces.

2. Pit and chop the kalamatas, dice the onion, garlic, tomato, zucchini, feta.

3. Add olive oil to sauté pan over medium heat, and add onion, garlic, and zucchini for two minutes. Add amaranth and braising greens, salt, and cover for approximately five minutes, or until greens have wilted. Use a pair of tongs to combine everything evenly.

4. While greens are wilting, crack eggs in a large bowl, chop oregano and rosemary, add to egg mixture, and whisk together.

5.  Once greens have wilted, pour egg mixture into the sauté pan until evenly distributed, add tomatoes, kalamatas, and feta on top. Gently shake the pan to settle the mixture.

 6. Place pan in the oven, and bake for approximately 20-30 minutes. Place a knife into the center of the frittata to test. It will be moist, but shouldn’t be runny—the frittata should move as one piece when it’s finished, and the feta should be slightly browned. Remove from the oven, let rest for approximately two minutes, and enjoy!

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