Today, I boiled some mustard greens to add to a sausage pasta recipe I like, which usually calls for spinach. A few days ago I did a kind of test run with the greens. One set I sauteed, and the other I boiled. For creating a green with a mild flavor that could be used instead of spinach, the boiling method worked hands down. It not only softened the texture of the thick, somewhat hairy leaves, it also toned down the flavor a bit.
Both Big Ag and Groceries had initially blanched at the idea of eating what they so delicately call "weeds" the other day, when I mentioned I wanted to start consuming the mustard greens in our yard. So I told them tonight's meal contained spinach....until they said they liked it, at which point I told them the truth. They were fine with it once they realized that, while it may be a weed, it did not taste "weedy." (Whatever that tastes like.) I just had to get them to eat it with an open mind. Hence the spinach subterfuge. I should work for the CIA.
So the mustard greens meal was a victory. I predict we'll be eating a lot more of it around this house from now on.
I hate to say it but those look way harder to work with than the wild mustard I scavenge. Those leaves look tough. Glad you were able to make them not taste "weedy" haha. I wonder if they'd be good in spinach artichoke dip? Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteThey really do taste exactly like spinach....but only after a heavy duty boil for at least 5 minutes. It sounds like your wild mustard there is much better and easier to work with. I'm jealous!
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