Mustard greens.

Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 10:46:19 -0500
To: The Culinary Herbs & Spices List <HERBS.HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From: "Dennis Whitehead" <dw00057.LTEC.NET>
Subject: Need Mustard Green Help (off topic)...

Howdy,

I started mustard greens in one of my small gardens this spring. My neighbor promised to help me learn how to prepare them and, in return, I promised to share with her.

Now, she's been called out of town. My mustard greens seem to be large enough, based upon supermarket comparisons, and are rapidly getting larger. How do I use them? I haven't the slightest idea. I've tried my usual web recipe sources to no avail. Would anybody be kind enough to help me find a use for this veritable forrest of mustard greens?

From: Mary Curtis <curtism.NKU.EDU>

You will love greens once you start to eat them. Clean the mustard greens and tear into pieces probably discarding the stem area. Cover the greens with water and add a large chopped onion. If you are not on a fat free diet you can just go ahead and put a ham hock in the pot. I, myself, use pork flavoring or if I am in a gourmet mood i fry out some pancetta (unsmoked Italian bacon), and add the grease for flavoring. The bits of bacon will then be added right before warming and serving. Add lots of salt and pepper. If you want to cook up your ham hock ahead of time, and let it cool, you will have wonderful broth which you can take the grease off the top. The most important thing about any of these greens is to serve it with a taste of vinegar (we use balsamic, but any will do). This method of cooking will be fine for any type of greens. You can also use bullion if you do not have any of these other flavorings, and then do not add salt. (This bullion method, of course, is the last choice for soul food which greens are.)

From: Esther Czekalski <E.Czekalski.M.BULL.COM>

I don't know if this will be helpful at all but it might. I grow the oriental mustards and pick them very small to add spice to a salad. If this is the mustard that is like stuff sold in the grocery, it is much more mature and the only way that I've had it was with soul food.

I was not the cook but if I remember, it was simmered for a long time with really cheap cuts of meats. Ham bones with some meat on them, for example (as the guest, I never asked). And simmered for an hour or more, which surprised me. Most greens would not be green anymore but the mustard greens used were big and held up to this long cooking. Then season with salt, pepper and tabasco if you like heat. It really was good.

From: Doris Tuck <dlt.JAKE.HQ.INTERLINK.COM>

> My mustard greens seem to be large enough, based upon supermarket comparisons, and are rapidly getting larger. How do I use them?

My parents were from the south so we grew up on mustard greens. If they are large enough by supermarket standards, they're too old to be really good. My mother used to pick them very small and tender, only 4 to 6 inches long. It seemed to stimulate the plants to grow more. She'd pick and they'd grow.

Anyway, just boil (with salt pork if you're still SAD, just salt if you don't eat meat) and serve with cornbread (preferable cooked in a skillet on top of the stove, a must with greens of any kind). They are still good without the salt pork (remember, I grew up on them and am used to them, most normal people don't care for them in any form), but do lose something. I eat more cornbread (mostly--except when I "slip"--without butter--sniff).

Enjoy. Wish I had some.

From: Dana White <dwhite.IO.COM>

This receipe is from "The Black Family Reunion Cookbook". The contributor was Lena Nozizwe, the co-host of America's Most Wanted.

Mustard Greens with Peanut Sauce
Ndiwo Za Mpiru Wotendera

2 bunches fresh mustard greens
Water
¼ tsp salt
1 bunch green onions chopped
½ lb cherry tomatoes
⅛ tsp crushed black pepper
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup water
Hot cooked rice

1. Wash greens carefully. Trim off any rough stems. Hold three or four leaves together and tear into small, even pieces.
2. Bring small amount water to a boil. Add salt and greens. Cook until greens are tender.
3. Turn greens over in pan and add chopped onions, whole cherry tomatoes and pepper. Cook until slightly limp.
4. Form creamy paste with peanut butter and water. Pour paste over entire surface of greens Cook slowly 10 minutesm stirring constantly to blend. Continue to cook until moist, not runny. Serve with rice.