This recipe for a rustic soup of bitter greens and potatoes from Dean Gold, owner-chef of Dino, is a wonderfully comforting rib-sticker for this colder time of year.

Serves 8

1 quarts escarole
1 quarts golden frilled mustard greens
1 cups onion slices into half moon rings
2 cups thinly sliced golden fleshed potatoes
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 cup Pecorino Toscano cheese, grated (approximately 3 to 4 ounces)
Salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper (or red chile flakes)
Olive oil
1/8 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, grated

Chop the escarole crosswise (across the stems) into ½ to 1 inch strips. Chop the mustard greens into similar strips.

Cut the root and stem ends off a large yellow Spanish onion. Set the onion on one of the cut sides and cut in half vertically. Place these halves cut side down and slice thinly into half moons and break up into rings.

Slice the potatoes into rounds the same thickness as the onion.

Heat a large hot heavy pan. Add the oil and the onions and sweat them until the onions are soft and have lost any strong, pungent flavor and aroma. Add the escarole and a half cup of the veggie stock and cover. Steam for five minutes over high heat till the escarole is wilted.

Add the mustard and and remaining half cup of the broth, cover and steam until the mustard is now wilted. If using another type of mustard green that is tougher, both can be wilted at the same time. Season the greens with a half teaspoon each of salt, pepper, Aleppo pepper (or hot red chile flakes).

Add the potatoes, the stock and enough water so everything just floats if necessary. Cover and bring to a hard boil. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Add nutmeg (use a nutmeg grinder or a microplane) and lemon zest.

Uncover and lower heat to a slow boil and cook until the greens are tender to your taste, approximately 30 minutes of you like chewy greens, 45 minutes for softer. Again, check for salt, lemon zest, nutmeg etc. The soup can be made ahead to this point and just reheated at time of service.

When ready to serve, heat to a full boil and add half a cup of grated aged pecorino toscano (or substitute Grana or Reggiano, but do not use Pecorino Romano which is too salty). Serve with more cheese on the side and with good olive oil. Your guest can add their own cheese, olive oil and fresh cracked pepper.

Dino, 3435 Connecticut Ave NW, 202 686 2966.

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