Mustard Greens

Another Green that just grows and grows and grows!  These recipes were gleaned from another CSA website Noble Foods Farm in the Midwest and the internet and selected for tastiness and ease, so please let us know how they are.

Mustard Greens

Early spring is a time for greens! In spring my body is craving something fresh and robust from the garden after a long winter without salads. Mustard greens are one of the first spring greens ready for harvest early in May (or October through June in Charleston!!). They can be eaten raw in salads or cooked in soups, added to stir-fries, or pasta dishes. Mustard greens can also be mixed into omelets, quiches, lasagna, and casseroles.

The following greens can all be used interchangeably in recipes calling for any cooking green: arugula, collards, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, Swiss chard, dandelion greens, spinach, and radish tops. Experimentation is the key to finding a flavor combination you love.

If you can’t eat all your spring greens at once, they also freeze well. Blanch washed greens for 2-3 minutes. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process, drain, and pack into airtight containers such as zip-lock freezer bags. For fresh eating, wash leaves in a large sink of cold water. Spin or pat dry with a towel. Remove stem and ribs of mustard greens before using. Roughly chopped, mustard greens can be used in the following recipe:
Oven Polenta with Glazed Baby Onions, Mustard Greens, and Blue Cheese
Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition

20-24 small “boiling onions” (about 1 lb) or the 4 small regular onions, quartered
1 cup yellow cornmeal (medium grain)
4 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided
Salt & pepper
2 Tbs butter
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp crushed red chile flakes
1 pound mustard greens, thick stems discarded and leaves chopped (or substitute turnip or other
spicy-flavored greens)
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Bring a pot of water to boil. Cut a tiny “X” in root end of onions, drop them in the boiling water, and cook 1-2 minutes. Drain, cool, and slice off ends, leaving a little root end intact so onions won’t fall apart when cooked further. Remove skins. Heat oven to 350°F. Oil a large ovenproof skillet (preferably nonstick) Add cornmeal, 4 cups stock, and 1 tsp salt; stir well (it won’t get smooth until it’s cooked). Bake uncovered, without stirring, until liquid is absorbed, 40-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in skillet. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and cook until nearly tender, 8-10 minutes, shaking pan frequently to prevent sticking. Add sugar and continue to cook, shaking pan, 2-3 minutes. Add remaining ¼ cup stock and vinegar. Raise heat; cook until liquid becomes a glaze, again shaking pan. Remove onions to a bowl. Wipe out skillet; add olive oil. Add garlic, chile flakes and greens; cook stirring often until tender, 4-5 minutes. Stir in onions; add salt and pepper to taste. When polenta is done, serve it in a wide shallow bowl topped with greens and blue cheese. Makes 4-6 servings.

Glazed Onions & Mustard Greens Over Couscous

Submitted by CSA Member Barbara Olic-Hamilton

• 1 large onion or 4 small onions
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• Salt & pepper
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 2 tsp wine cider with raspberry or other flavoring
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• ¼ tsp red chile flakes or seafood seasoning
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1 pound mustard greens or any greens such as kale, mizuna, chard (thick stems discarded and leaves chopped)
• 1 package Near East whole wheat couscous (Garlic and Basil couscous is good.)

Bring pot of water to boil. Cut a tiny “x” in root end of un-peeled onions, drop them in boiling water, and cook 2-3 minutes. Drain, cool, slice off ends leaving a little root end intact so onions won’t fall apart when cooked further. Remove skins.

Melt butter over medium heat in nonstick skillet. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and cook until nearly tender—8-10 minutes. Shake pan frequently to avoid sticking. Add sugar and continue to cook, shaking pan for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and vinegar. Raise heat. Cook until liquid becomes a glaze, again shaking pan. Remove onions to a bowl.

Meanwhile, follow package directions and cook couscous.

Wipe out skillet. Add olive oil. Add garlic, greens and sprinkle with red pepper flakes or seafood seasoning. Cook, stirring often until tender—4-5 minutes. Stir in onions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve couscous in a wide, shallow bowl topped with greens and onion mixture. Serves 4-6.

Curried Mustard Greens with Kidney Beans

From Taste of Home Recipe Finder, Submitted by CSA Member Beth Landis ~~ Beth says, “This is fairly quick and simple. I substituted light sour cream and fat free yogurt for the half and half”.

• 1 bunch mustard greens
• 1 Tbs ghee (clarified butter)
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger root
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 cup half and half

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place greens in the pot, cover, and cook 7 minutes, or just until tender. Drain, and rinse under cold water.

Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the shallots until lightly brown. Stir in ginger, and season with red pepper. Mix in greens, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and curry powder. Stir in the half and half, and continue cooking until heated through.

Hot Wilted Greens

1 thick slice smoky bacon ½ T olive oil 1 large clove garlic, minced 1 medium sweet red onion 3 T chicken stock 2 T balsamic vinegar 1 quart mixed piquant leafy greens (such as arugula, endive or mustard greens) ¼ cup toasted pecans In a large, deep skillet or wok over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble and reserve. Add olive oil to bacon drippings in skillet, heat and add garlic and onions. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions and garlic are softened. Stir in chicken stock and vinegar. Add greens and mix. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until leaves are coated. Cover and cook several minutes more, until leaves are wilted and cooked tender-crisp. Top with bacon and chopped pecans. Serve hot. Serves 4.

A different tradition of quick-cooked spring greens has been passed down through the generations in the family of a black South Carolinian novelist, farmer and farm stand operator named Dori Sanders. She traces many of her family’s culinary traditions to her Aunt Vestula, who died when Dori was a young girl.

Aunt Vestula, a link to a bygone era of southern history, worked around the turn of the century in the kitchen of a plantation near Charleston. Part of her pay was bringing home leftovers. In Dori Sanders’ Country Cooking (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, N.C., 1995), Sanders describes a springtime tradition of foraging in the fields for wild greens, many of which are available in cultivated form in Southern California farmers markets. She mentions what Carolinians call creasie greens (field cress that is a wild relative of water cress), pokeweed and dandelion greens.

Pokeweed tastes like beet leaves but with a stronger flavor, she writes. As with all bitter greens, boiling them before further preparation takes off some of the edge.

Mess o’ Greens Salad With Warm Pecan Dressing 6 cups fresh mustard, turnip, and/or collard greens (about 1 pound) 6 cups fresh mustard, turnip, and/or collard greens (about 1 pound) 2 T balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. honey 1 T Dijon mustard 2 tsp. vegetable oil ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped or broken Wash greens well, dry thoroughly, then remove and discard the long stems. Tear the greens into salad-size pieces and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey and mustard. Set aside. Heat the oil in a small skillet until hot but not smoking. Add the vinegar mixture and pecans and cook, stirring regularly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour over the greens and serve at once.

People in Mediterranean cultures, who have been big fans of bitter greens, such as dandelion and chicory, for centuries, boil them as a matter of course. Authorities on Italian cuisine recommend cutting the greens crosswise into 1-inch pieces before plunging them into the salted, boiling water. Then wring out the excess water, chop them up, and proceed with the desired recipe.

Cookbook author Diane Seed, in The Top One Hundred Italian Dishes (Ten Speed Press), suggests tossing dandelion greens or rapini with a chunky-shaped pasta, like penne, orechiette or ziti.

Seed, who teaches cooking classes in south Italy, suggests cooking the pasta in the same water used to boil the greens, which not only adds flavor to the pasta, but saves time, to boot.

She favors turnip greens in the following recipe, but broccoli raab (rapini), mustard or dandelion greens work just as well.

For the best flavor, use a strong, fruity extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with a loaf of thick-crusted, whole-grain bread.

Pasta with Dark Greens

2 pounds broccoli raab, turnip, mustard or dandelion greens Kosher salt 1 pound orechiette, penne or other pasta 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 cloves garlic, chopped 4 anchovy filets in oil, drained and finely chopped Pinch dried red pepper flakes, or to taste Freshly ground pepper and salt In a large pot, bring 2 to 3 quarts of water to a boil. While the water heats, trim the greens and wash them well. Cut the greens crosswise into 1-inch pieces or strips. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss the greens into the boiling water; cook until they are almost tender but still bright green, 8 to 10 minutes. (The time will vary somewhat depending on what kind of greens you use. Testing them is the best way to know when they are done.) With a slotted spoon, remove greens from the pot and toss into a large bowl of cold water. Add the pasta to the pot of water in which the greens were cooked. While the pasta cooks, squeeze the greens to remove as much water as possible. Fluff the greens to separate them, then set aside. In a large, heavy skillet or a wok, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, just until the garlic begins to color. (Take care not to let it burn or the dish will taste bitter.) Add the anchovies, pressing them so they “melt” into the oil. Add the pepper flakes. When the pasta is almost done, 10 to 12 minutes, add the drained greens to the pan and cook together for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove pan from the heat. Drain the pasta, leaving a bit of water clinging to it. Add the pasta to the cooked greens; toss well. Season to taste with pepper and salt. Serve immediately with a loaf of the thick-crusted, whole-grain bread. Makes 4 to 6 servings. Note: If you prefer, the greens can be cooked ahead and held up to 8 hours. (Refrigerate them if it will be more than two hours, then bring them back to room temperature before using.) You won’t get to reuse the cooking water from the pasta, but you will be able to put the finished dish on the table in just minutes.

—-above three recipes from theseasonalchef.com