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1
Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a boil over high heat, and salt it to taste like the ocean, adding about 1 tablespoon of salt for each quart of water.
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2
Place a colander in the sink or have a strainer handy to lift the cavolo out of the water.
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3
Fill a large bowl with ice water.
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4
Add the cavolo nero to the boiling water and cook until it is bright green and tender, about 2 minutes.
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5
Drain the cavolo or lift it out of the water and quickly plunge it in the ice water for about 1 minute, to cool completely.
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6
Lift the cavolo out of the ice water and gently wring it in your hands to squeeze out all the excess water.
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7
(You can prepare the cavolo to this point up to two days in advance.
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8
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until you are ready to finish it.)
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9
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes.
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10
Add the shallots, season with salt, and saute for about 30 seconds to soften, stirring constantly to prevent them from browning.
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11
Add the cavolo nero, separating the leaves as you add them to the pan if they have compressed from squeezing them.
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12
Season the cavolo with salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to coat the greens with the seasonings.
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13
Serve warm.
