Creamed Greens With Shallots - Yum!

It's HERE!  It's officially crunch time.  Today is Festivus ( you know, for the rest of us) and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  Do you celebrate on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or both?  I mean presents, you know. We usually do presents on Christmas Eve so our children can do "Santa" on Christmas morning with their children.  We will have dinner tomorrow evening at our daughter's home.  She is preparing traditional Lebanese food and I am so excited.  If you have never eaten Lebanese food, it's so good. Christmas dinner will be at our house on Christmas Day.  Our youngest son is bringing several friends who could not go home for Christmas.  It should be pandemonium and so much fun.

On Thanksgiving, I tried a Martha Stewart recipe for creamed greens that was simply spectacular!  It was a major hit so we will be having it again on Christmas Day by request.  Do you like greens?  You know, turnip greens, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, spinach?

Growing up there was always a controversy in our house.  My dad loved turnip greens and my mom didn't.  Mom liked spinach and dad didn't.  We were just confused.  No kid can understand why anyone would like greens of any kind.  Seriously?  Yuck.

Things change when you get older - hopefully.  I happen to love greens of all kinds, especially with some vinegar added and some hot sauce, braised with some bacon, ham, or fatback.  Yummmmm!

Kale seems to be the new food darling right now and it is so good for you - full of antioxidants and nutrients.  The only thing with kale is it is kind of chewy if not cut in really small pieces before cooking.  Other greens wilt down a little more and are easier to chew.  The upside is all greens are full of iron and vitamin B12 which are hard to get in most other foods.  We benefit from eating as many greens as we can, unless you are on medications to thin your blood.  Then  you should consult your doctor.

Here is what you need to make this recipe:

2 large bunches turnip greens
1 large bunch kale
1 large bunch collard greens
6 TBSP butter
2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced (1 TBSP)
2 TBSP AP flour (I substituted 1 TBSP cornstarch for gluten free)
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
pinch of nutmeg
pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine or chicken stock
coarse salt

First, remove the stems from the collard greens and kale.  Chop the leaves into bite sized pieces.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat (I used my electric skillet to saute the greens).  Add kale, collard, and turnip greens, 1 tsp salt and wine or chicken stock.  Cover and cook until greens wilt, about 2 minutes turning occasionally. (You will start with a huge mound of greens and will end up with what looks like a small amount.  Don't be alarmed.)   Reduce to medium and cook, turning greens until almost tender - about 15 minutes.  I used long tongs to turn the greens.  Remove cover and transfer greens to a bowl.

Add 4 TBSP butter to pan, melt on high heat.  Add shallots and garlic.  Saute until softened, about 3 minutes.  Return greens to saute pan.  Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 2 TBSP butter in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Add flour (or cornstarch) and whisk to incorporate.  Add milk and cream, slowly whisking until sauce thickens slightly and coats back of a spoon - about 2 minutes.  Add nutmeg and red pepper flakes.  Season with salt.

Stir sauce into greens and cook over medium heat until warmed through.

If not serving immediately, cool completely then refrigerate.  Reheat over low heat before serving. Transfer to a bowl and serve.  Double Delicious is all I can say.

A minor Christmas miracle occurred today.  I actually have all my Christmas gifts wrapped before Christmas Eve for the first time EVER!  Miracles do happen every day.  Now, it's time to begin preparations for Christmas dinner.  

We are having Cornish Game Hens and roast beef for the carnivores and spinach stuffed manicotti for the vegetarians.  Sides are yet to be decided.  I know there will be creamed greens and wild rice.  Desserts are always a toss up.  Have you set your menu yet?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you one and all.  Thanks for reading my blog and I will return after Christmas.  Let the fun begin.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

It came upon a midnight clear,
That glorious song, of old
Of angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold.

These Are Not My Mother's Greens!

.

My mother was not a particularly good cook.  Actually, she didn't really like to cook.  She tended to boil things to death.  Do you know what I mean?  Do you remember spinach, or squash, or broccoli that was so limp and lifeless and unappetizing that you didn't want to put it in your mouth?    That's the way it arrived at our table most of the time.

My dad loved turnip greens and my mom loved spinach and they argued over which was best.  If they had ever bothered to ask me, I would have told them neither one was particularly good.  Do you know why?  Think limp and lifeless with a touch of slime thrown in.  Ewww.

Greens do NOT have to arrive at the table that way - ever!
There are so many delicious ways to prepare them.  Did you know that we need at least 3 cups of dark green vegetables per week?  Why you ask?  Because they are considered nutritional powerhouses.  That's right!  This is an excerpt from About.com.
on the nutritional value of greens.  It will make you feel a whole lot better about eating them, besides the facts that they are delicious.


"Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food.  They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium) and vitamins including K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins.  They also provide a variety of photo nutrients including Beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin which protects our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects.  Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats."


Greens are also known to help reduce cholesterol, especially when steamed or sauteed.

There is a restaurant here in Nashville called Taco Mamacita and they do updated versions of Tex/Mex cuisine.  They serve chipotle greens and they are dynamite!  You know me - my first thought was I can replicate these!  Since greens are more than plentiful at the Farmer's Market right now, I stepped right up to the plate (no pun intended) and created my own version of this dish.  I used collard greens.  Do you know about collard greens, turnip greens, mustard greens, and the many other varieties of greens?  Here's a little lesson.

Turnip greens are delicious, but are slightly bitter.  Collard greens are a little chewier, they have a thicker leaf,  but no bitter taste.  Mustard greens have a slightly peppery taste and then there is my favorite, baby spinach!  Turnip greens, collards, mustard greens and kale have a thick stem which needs to be removed before cooking.  Here is what a collard green leaf looks like and how I remove the stems.

Front of a collard green leaf.  They are about 12 inches long.

I fold the leaf in half, grab the stem at the top and peel it down to the bottom of the leaf.

All kinds of greens cook WAY down, so you have to prepare a lot of them before you cook.  I bought 3 pounds and thoroughly washed all the leaves and peeled all the stems.  Then you place them in piles and cut them into about 3" x 3" pieces.  You will have a huge mound of greens, but don't worry, they will cook down to just a bowl full.

Ingredients Needed:

about 3 lbs of Greens: Collard, Turnip, Mustard, or Kale

1 can chipotle peppers in adobo

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

hot sauce (I used Tapito)

Chicken broth or water, about 1  or 2 cups

salt

After preparing your greens, place a large pan on the stove.  (Preferably, one with deep sides.)  Pour in about 2/3 Tbsps olive oil.  Add the onion and garlic and saute.  Pile the greens in by hands full and let them wilt down after each addition while stirring.  Dice about 5 of the chipotle peppers and add them to the sauteed greens.  Dot with about 10 drops of hot sauce.  Add about 1 cup of chicken broth or water if you prefer.  Add more water if necessary.  Add about 2 tsps of the adobo sauce from the can.  The water/chicken stock keeps the peppers from sticking.  Stir continuously.  Add salt to taste.  When greens have reduced and most of the stock is gone, remove from stove immediately and place in bowl to serve.

Now I will tell you, these are NOT my mother's greens.  These are tender but not limp and slimy, spicy and delicious.  If you prefer more spice, add more chipotle peppers or hot sauce.  You will not mind eating 3 cups of these in a weeks time.  Give this a try.  It's a great new spin on an old summertime reliable and really healthy and good for you.  Hope you enjoy!!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Life is a song, sing it!  Mother Teresa