8ounces rabe or any other sturdy greens (whole, chopped, or torn)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
1/2 small sweet onion (like Vidalia or Walla Walla) minced (about 1/2 cup)
3/4cup unhulled short-grain rice (like nero or brown sweet)
1/4cup dry white wine (or water)
2 to 3cups water or stock
2ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 packed cup)
Pepper
Instructions
Heat the oven to 450°F. As you rinse the rabe or greens, trim and discard the toughest stems and tear or cut the leaves into large but manageable pieces. Toss them with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a generous sprinkle of salt. Massage them with your hands to rub in the oil and salt and soften them a bit. Let the greens sit while you get the rice going.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot add the onion, sprinkle with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the rice and stir until it’s glossy and fragrant, about a minute. Pour in the wine or water, raise the heat a little so it bubbles away and deglazes the pan; this will take 3 to 5 minutes.
Add 1 cup of stock or water, bring to a gentle boil, and cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so and adding enough water to keep the rice submerged and avoid sticking, until it begins to get tender but is still too firm to eat, 20 to 25 minutes (or 10 to 15 minutes for white rices).
Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add enough water or stock to submerge the rice so that you can’t see the kernels, but you know they’re just under the surface. Taste and add a little more salt if necessary. Return the liquid to a boil and turn off the heat. Pile the prepared greens in the center of the skillet and transfer to the oven. (Or wait 10 minutes to add the greens if you want them more on the raw side.)
Check the progress after 5 minutes for less browned greens, 10 minutes for charred in places. The rice should still be partially submerged in bubbling liquid and the rabe will shrinking. Lower the oven to 400°F and check again in 10 minutes; taste the rice. Add more water if the rice looks dry and isn’t fully tender yet. If the rice isn’t ready, re-check in another 10 minutes.
To form a little crust on the bottom, transfer the skillet to the stove over high heat and crisp the rice until it begins to smell like toast, being careful not to burn it. Sprinkle the greens with lots of pepper and toss if you’d like before serving.