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Afternoon Mezze: Three Beans, Braised Greens, and Charred Beef
This is my favorite light afternoon plate — the kind I assemble when the Athens heat keeps me away from the stove but my body needs real nourishment. The chrysanthemum greens bring an earthy bitterness, the beans give you substance without heaviness, and the quick-charred beef keeps it satisfying. The touch of acerola and blueberries adds a Mediterranean sweetness that ties everything together in a way that feels natural, not forced. #mediterranean #legumes #light lunch #athens #afternoon snack #protein-rich
15
min total
(Prep:
10
| Cook: 5)
2
servings
Cowpeas, common , mature seeds, raw
60.0 gram
Chrysanthemum, garland, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt
100.0 gram
Blueberries, canned, heavy syrup, solids and liquids
30.0 gram
Broadbeans , mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt
70.0 gram
Beans, french, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt
60.0 gram
Acerola juice, raw
30.0 gram
Beef, New Zealand, imported, rump centre, separable lean and fat, raw
40.0 gram
Chicken, broilers or fryers, drumstick, rotisserie, original seasoning, meat only, cooked
50.0 gram
Nutrition Facts
Energy
555.3 kilocalorie
Protein
48.6 gram
Myristoleic acid (C14:1)
0.0 gram
Pentadecenoic acid (C15:1)
0.0 gram
Palmitoleic acid (C16:1, Omega-7)
0.3 gram
Heptadecenoic acid (C17:1)
0.0 gram
Gondoic acid (C20:1, Omega-9)
0.0 gram
Erucic acid (C22:1, Omega-9)
0.0 gram
Nervonic acid (C24:1, Omega-9)
0.0 gram
Oleic acid (C18:1, Omega-9)
2.1 gram
Alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA) (C18:3, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (C22:6, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Pufa 2:5 N-3 (epa)
0.0 gram
Linoleic acid (C18:2, Omega-6)
0.5 gram
Gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA) (C18:3, Omega-6)
0.0 gram
Stearidonic acid (SDA) (C18:4, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Eicosadienoic acid (C20:2, Omega-6)
0.0 gram
Eicosatrienoic acid (ETE) (C20:3, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) (C20:3, Omega-6)
0.0 gram
Arachidonic acid (ARA) (C20:4, Omega-6)
0.0 gram
Docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) (C22:5, Omega-3)
0.0 gram
Pufa 2:4 N-6
0.0 gram
Palmitic acid (C16:0)
1.4 gram
Capric acid (C10:0)
0.0 gram
Lauric acid (C12:0)
0.0 gram
Myristic acid (C14:0)
0.1 gram
Pentadecylic acid (C15:0)
0.0 gram
Margaric acid (C17:0)
0.0 gram
Arachidic acid (C20:0)
0.0 gram
Behenic acid (C22:0)
0.0 gram
Lignoceric acid (C24:0)
0.0 gram
Butyric acid (C4:0)
0.0 gram
Caproic acid (C6:0)
0.0 gram
Caprylic acid (C8:0)
0.0 gram
Stearic acid (C18:0)
0.5 gram
Palmitelaidic acid (C16:1)
0.0 gram
Linolelaidic acid (C18:2)
0.0 gram
Dietary Fiber
18.6 gram
Starch
0.0 gram
Lactose
0.0 gram
Maltose
0.0 gram
Sucrose
0.0 gram
Fructose
0.0 gram
Galactose
0.0 gram
Glucose
0.0 gram
Carotene, Alpha
0.0 microgram
Carotene, Beta
1662.4 microgram
Choline
135.3 milligram
Folate (Vitamin B9)
1672.2 microgram
Retinol
7.8 microgram
Vitamin A
2949.8 International Unit
Vitamin B-12
1.1 microgram
Vitamin B-12, Added
0.0 microgram
Vitamin B-6
0.7 milligram
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
0.8 milligram
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
0.6 milligram
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
7.0 milligram
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
2.2 milligram
Vitamin C
506.1 milligram
Vitamin D
1.7 microgram
Vitamin E
3.2 milligram
Vitamin K
168.2 microgram
Calcium, Ca
214.6 milligram
Copper, Cu
1.0 milligram
Iron, Fe
12.1 milligram
Magnesium, Mg
217.7 milligram
Manganese, Mn
1.9 milligram
Phosphorus, P
656.3 milligram
Potassium, K
1972.6 milligram
Selenium, Se
28.0 microgram
Sodium, Na
535.6 milligram
Zinc, Zn
6.2 milligram
ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid, Omega-3)
4.4 gram
Alcohol, Ethyl
0.0 gram
Arginine
3.2 gram
Ash
6.4 gram
Aspartic Acid
4.1 gram
Betaine
6.4 milligram
Caffeine
0.0 milligram
Cholesterol
102.0 milligram
Cryptoxanthin, Beta
0.0 microgram
Cystine
0.4 gram
Folic Acid
0.0 microgram
Glutamic Acid
7.6 gram
Glycine
2.1 gram
Histidine
1.4 gram
Hydroxyproline
0.1 gram
Isoleucine
2.0 gram
Leucine
3.6 gram
Lutein + Zeaxanthin
3491.0 microgram
Lycopene
0.0 microgram
Lysine
3.6 gram
Methionine
1.0 gram
Oleic Acid (Omega-9)
0.1 gram
Proline
2.1 gram
Serine
2.1 gram
Theobromine
0.0 milligram
Threonine
1.7 gram
Tocopherol, Beta
0.0 milligram
Tocopherol, Delta
0.0 milligram
Tocopherol, Gamma
0.1 milligram
Tocotrienol, Alpha
0.0 milligram
Tocotrienol, Beta
0.0 milligram
Tocotrienol, Delta
0.0 milligram
Tocotrienol, Gamma
0.0 milligram
Tryptophan
0.5 gram
Tyrosine
1.5 gram
Valine
2.2 gram
Water
301.3 gram
0
Warm a small skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Slice the raw beef rump centre very thin — about the thickness of a coin — and quickly sear it in the hot pan for just 1 to 2 minutes per side until the edges char but the centre stays pink. The beef should smell almost caramelized at the edges. Set it aside on a plate. Work quickly here — thin slices cook in seconds. You want that contrast between charred outside and tender inside.
1
On the same warm skillet — no need to wash — add the cooked chrysanthemum greens and stir them through for about 1 to 2 minutes, just enough to warm them and let them pick up a little of that charred flavour from the pan. They should smell nutty and earthy, not raw. The residual caramelized bits from the beef will do the seasoning for you. Transfer to your serving plate.
2
In a small bowl, combine the raw cowpeas, cooked broad beans, and cooked french beans. Add the rotisserie drumstick meat, shredded into bite-sized pieces, and toss gently — this takes barely a minute. The rotisserie chicken brings its own saltiness and depth without needing any further cooking, and the pre-cooked beans mean the plate comes together almost effortlessly.
3
Dress the bean mixture with the acerola juice, letting it coat everything in a light, bright layer. Acerola is tart and mineral in a way that lifts the earthiness of the legumes beautifully — give it about 30 seconds to absorb before moving on. You should notice the colour of the beans brighten slightly as the juice works through them.
4
Arrange the warmed greens as your base, spoon the bean and chicken mixture over the top, then lay the charred beef slices across everything. Finish with the blueberries and a little of their syrup scattered as a final garnish — their sweetness plays against the savoury elements in a way that feels considered, not accidental. Serve at room temperature or slightly warm. This is not a salad; it is a composed plate, and the temperature matters.
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