If the idea of ham does not appeal, use some Pimenton de la Vera instead for the broth. The smoky flavor really pulls this dish together. Use more stock to turn this into a brothy soup, or cook it down until the stock has reduced to a glaze and serve as a side. Finishing with a few drops of a vinegar based hot-sauce, vinegar, or lemon juice adds a bright spark to the dish and emphasizes the sweetness in the ham, leeks, and peas.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of mustard greens, stemmed and cleaned, torn into bite-sized bits 3-4 Mokum carrots, cut into ¼-inch dice 2 leeks, white and pale green parts, quartered lengthwise, cut across ¼-inch, and washed 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 2 heaping cups cooked black eyed peas, at room temperature* ½ pound of 3/8ths to ½ inch thick ham steak, cut into cubes ¼ cup of ham trimmings from the skin and fat from the above -OR- ½ tablespoon of Pimenton de la Vera Dulce 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or as needed Salt and pepper to taste ½ tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped (Optional)** Grapeseed or light flavored olive oil as needed Vinegar based hot-sauce, vinegar, or lemon juice to taste to finishMETHOD:
Heat a large straight sided pan (10-12 inches) over medium-high heat. When hot, add enough oil to generously film the pan bottom. When the oil is “shivering”, carefully add the carrots and stir to coat with the oil. Cook the carrots to lightly color them, stirring often to prevent burning.
While the carrots are cooking, heat over medium a pot large enough for the stock. When hot, just film the pan bottom with oil and add the ham scraps. Cook until fragrant, and add the stock. Bring to a simmer and adjust heat so it just bubbles along. Season with a little pepper. If not using the ham, carry out this procedure, but instead of ham, use the Pimenton, stirring it into the oil and then stirring constantly until fragrant and darkening just a little. Add in the stock and whisk to mix in. When seasoning with the pepper, taste for salt as well. The ham will add salt to the stock which is why there is none added.
When the carrots are golden all over, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the leeks after pushing the carrots to the rim of the pan. Turn to coat with oil and cook until clear and soft.
Make a well in the center, and make sure there is some oil on the pan bottom. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Toss all the ingredients together, add the ham and beans and toss to mix. If using the herbs, scatter them in now. Add strained hot stock to cover the vegetables and simmer gently. Cook until the beans very tender. Decide if you want soup, stew, or a side dish, and either add more stock to make it soupy, or start cooking the dish down to the consistency you like.
When the peas are tender and the carrots cooked through, add the mustard greens and cook just to wilt them. Turn the vegetables carefully (so as not to mash the black eyed peas) to mix. When everything is hot, serve. If you want to serve the dish “dry”, use a slotted to spoon to remove the vegetables from the pan to a bowl, letting the liquid drain into the cooking vessel. Cook the remaining liquid down to a glaze and pour over the vegetables. This is good for flavor, and it preserves a lot of the minerals and vitamins found in the greens.
Pass the hot-sauce on the side or drizzle the vinegar or lemon juice over the dish and serve.
Chef’s Notes:
*You can use those you cook yourself (add some of the cooking liquid to the stock for flavor), or go with canned or frozen. Try to find those without a lot of salt added.
**Mustard greens are one of the few vegetables that don’t seem to need herbs. This dish has enough large flavors that adding to it isn’t necessary, but the marjoram echoes the sweetness of the ham and plays well here as a foil.
Serve this with some corn bread when soupy and it is a great light dinner. Less stock and it is a light bodied stew with bold flavors. Add some rice to it to bulk it up for a hearty dinner, or cook it down and serve as a side dish. If you intend to use it as a side, you can use less ham or just go with the Pimenton option.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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it gets completely eliisufmed in with the rest of the ingredients. In 30 seconds.I’ve thrown in fresh spinach leaves and avocado…without telling my kids…and it blends up so well, they have no idea those things