I mostly remember leafy greens on Sunday. My mother, with a few helping hands on occasion, would pick the leaves, rinse them to remove any grit, and then place them in a big pot with some ham. Much water would be added, along with salt and pepper. The pot would simmer for what seemed like hours. Once steaming green leaves were piled on dinner plates, sometimes chopped white onions would be tossed on top for a bit of crunch (that’s what my dad liked) and sometimes apple cider vinegar, depending on the type of green. Of all the greens, kale was my favorite, especially curly kale. After finishing the pot of any type of greens, nothing was better than to drink the remaining flavor-filled pot liquor. Mustard had a peppery bite, the intensity of which I was reintroduced to this past weekend in several interesting dishes that both stirred up these childhood memories and made me reach for my camera.
Mustard Greens
Steve bought one small bunch of mustard greens and began to experiment immediately. The first dish involved adding a small portion of chopped fresh mustard greens to a vegetable stir fry of broccoli, kale and red peppers. The second mustard-infused dish was a homemade hamburger made of finely chopped steak, hen of the woods mushrooms, parmesan cheese, mustard greens and one egg. The tiny hamburgers were formed, fried and served up on toasted bread with sliced tomatoes and red onions on the side.
Hamburger with Cheese, Mushroom and Mustard Greens
The third dish was inspired by a particular Japanese method of layering thin slices of seared tuna, white rice, wasabi and shiso. A spicy mouthful to say the least. This particular variation on a theme involved cooking white rice and mixing it with fresh chopped green onion and mustard greens. The rice was served with thin slices of tuna on top and wasabi and soy sauce on the side. While the tuna is now gone, there is still rice remaining. I’ve encouraged the chef to turn these leftovers into golden fried cakes. We’ll see what the new week holds.;)
White Rice with Mustard Green and Green Onions
Words + Images 