I have never been very creative with greens. I’m usually at a loss for what to do with the bitter greens: kale, chard, Bussells sprouts—things like that. But this week, I mustered some inspiration from the things in my pantry, and I whipped up a meal that could be eaten for both dinner or breakfast. We had ours for dinner, along with some grass fed steak.
To begin, create a simmer sauce in a 6 quart pan using the following:
- 1 ONION, pureéd with a few cloves of GARLIC
- 1 oz. APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
- 2-3 tsp BLACKSTRAP MOLASSES
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce
- 1 cup WATER
- 1 tsp BLACK PEPPER
- Sea salt to taste
Reduce the liquid to 1/2 before adding a large bunch of mustard greens. I think really any kind of green would work. (I was going to use collards and mustard greens, but the mustard greens were significantly cheaper at my farmers market.)
Simmer for 30 minutes or less, until greens are cooked down.
While the greens are simmering, boil some red potatoes and mash them, mixing them with plenty of butter and milk until they become rich and creamy.
When the greens are done, strain them from the sauce, and then CHOP them on a cutting board. Don’t make the same mistake I did by putting them in my food processor. All the leaves did was tangle around the blades. Chop them finely with a knife, and then mix them into the potatoes.
I fried an egg in butter and ate it atop the greens and potatoes, and it was wonderful. :)
The simmered greens had a lovely complex flavor that was revealed in subtle undertones. But I think it was the yolk of the fried pastured egg that really made it a meal. The following day, we ate the leftover greens and potatoes with lamb kalia (a curry dish), and it was equally delicious and comforting.
I hope this inspires you to get creative with your greens! :)
~Courtney Polivka
—This post featured on Fill Those Jars Friday.
