Recipe: Mustard Greens and Fennel

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you have to keep juggling your plans?  Well, that's every week around here.  I originally intended to make something very different with these mustard greens, but I found out at the last minute that my in-laws were coming to town.  We spent the day with them, and the dish I'd intended to make required more attention than I could possibly devote.  Instead, I made something up on the fly.  The fennel stalks were included because they were left over from a recipe my husband had made some time before and I wanted to use them up before they went bad. 

I'd have to call the results mixed.  I really tried to get the texture right, but since I had to stop and re-heat the dish (long story) the finished product was nowhere near what I was looking for.  I wish you could see the color and texture of the greens before I had to reheat them!  I felt that what I finally came up with was dreadfully overcooked, but my in-laws raved about the texture.  I guess it's a matter of taste. 

Mustard Greens and Fennel (serves 4; approx. $0.96/serving)

1 bunch mustard greens, stemmed and chopped

2 onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tablespoon black pepper

8 fennel stalks (from 2 fennel bulbs), chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Equipment:

• Large saute pan

1. Heat the oil in the wok.
2. Add the onion and garlic.  Saute until the onion is soft.
3. Add the fennel stalks.  Saute until the stalks are bright green and starting to soften.  If the onions are starting to brown too much, add about 1/4 cup water. 
4. Add the mustard greens.  The liquid from washing the greens should be sufficient to finish cooking the dish; if not, add another half cup of water.
5. Saute for about a minute.
6. Clamp the lid on, reduce the heat and cook until the fennel stalks are tender and the greens wilted. 
7. Season with pepper to taste and serve.   
   Note: My in-laws absolutely, positively cannot tolerate any salt at all.  That's why there's no salt in this recipe.  You can feel free to add kosher salt to taste, probably at the stage where you add the onions and garlic.

Comments

[Angie@Angie's Recipes]

I like to have my mustard greens stir-fried with garlic!

[Fearless Kitchen]

Angie - I like just about anything stir-fried with garlic :)