Home Cooking

We've been overwhelmed (in a good way) with the bounty of produce we're receiving from our CSA this year.  I have been so please by the variety and amount of food we get each week.  I really look forward to getting the box and opening it like a present on Christmas morning!  So far we've had mustard greens, collards, lettuce, peas, pattypan squash, zucchini, yellow squash, turnips, radishes, beans, potatoes, onions, broccoli, cabbage, and strawberries.  So for all you CSAers out there who might be a little stumped with some of your ingredients here are a few recipes we've enjoyed over the last few weeks.

I often use the Food Network to find recipes.  You can search by meal, by chef or by ingredient.  They are also labeled easy, medium or hard and tell how long they take to prep and cook.  Both my mustard green and collard recipes both come from the food network.

Mustard Greens

Extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic

pinch of red pepper flakes
1 large bunch mustard greens
salt
2 to 3 T. red wine vinegar

To prep the mustard greens take out the stems and then wash.  Leave the greens wet.

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and put on medium-high heat. As usual I didn't follow the recipe exactly so I added 3 minced garlic cloves.  The recipe calls for you to put in 3 garlic cloves that are crushed, saute them until they are brown and then remove.  I like garlic so I just put in 3 minced cloves, browned them and then left them in the pan.

Add the mustard greens and season with salt, to taste. Cover and cook the greens until they are soft and wilted. Stir in the vinegar. Taste them and see if you like them.  If you think you want more vinegar or salt then go ahead and add it!  I almost always put in more vinegar than a recipe calls for because I love it!!

The tricky thing about this recipe is keeping enough moisture in the pan so the greens cook but don't burn.  I still haven't totally figured it out and so I had a few little crisp pieces in my pan both times.  Also, too much olive oil makes them soggy and too oily so be careful about that as well.  These are yummy!!!

If you are like me you didn't even know what collard greens were until you got a CSA box.  Or you still don't know!  Here is my dear husband modeling the collard.

Collard Greens

1 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 pound collard greens, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
2 tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper

To prep the collards you have to take the stem out.  I cut a skinny "V" down the center of the leaf and then I chop the remaining portion. 

Heat your oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onions for about 2 minutes, until slightly softened, then add the red pepper flakes and garlic.  Cook another minute. Add your collard greens and cook another minute. The collards are going to look HUGE in the pan.  You'll be shocked at how small a serving you actually get out of the massive bunch you put in.  I usually turn the stuff on the bottom of the pan and fold so that it mixes well. Add the vegetable stock, cover and bring the pot to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender, about 40 minutes. Taste them at this point and see if you like them based on firmness.  Some people like them to be very soft, other like a little more bite.  It's all personal preference!  Add tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

I served mine with KY Hot Browns and Blue Cheese Coleslaw (recipes to come)!  It was fantastic!!  The collards are good for you and this recipe is great because it is vegetarian.  I hope you enjoy these green recipes as much as we have!



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