Sautéed Swiss Chard with Olive Oil and Garlic

Students in my cooking classes often ask why I boil greens before sautéing them. The reason is that if you put raw greens, such as Swiss chard or spinach, directly in a skillet with the olive oil and garlic, they release liquid and simmer in their juices rather than sauté. As that liquid cooks down, it gives the greens a strong and somewhat bitter flavor. Italians sauté already cooked greens so they simply take on the flavor of the oil and garlic. You end up with a much sweeter-tasting vege