Mustard Greens

If you like briny greens, then this side is for you!  These mustard green pack a real punch. And the complimenting & contrasting flavors of sweet, salty, smoky, and tangy will set your taste buds alive.

It starts out simply enough, with everybody's favorite ingredient: bacon. Render down some cut up bacon until they are just crispy and then remove them from the pan. Set aside on a paper towel to blot up some of the grease and keep them crispy.

Cook some sliced onions in the same pan using the bacon fat as your (oil). If you have really greasy bacon, you may want to pour some out. This shouldn't be too heavy. It is a green, after all.

Remove the rib/spine from the mustard greens like you would collards. Then slice them into strips and toss them in with the onions. Add some apple cider vinegar, a little honey, and even a touch of dijon mustard. That's right -- I added mustard to mustard greens. Add just enough chicken stock to steam these greens with the lid on.  They will reduce in size quite a bit. Salt & pepper to taste.

Strain any excess liquid and serve the greens with the crispy bacon served on top.  Honey & mustard go really well together. And then you get the smoky, salty, sweetness of the bacon to compliment everything. Bacon & onions both have sweet qualities about them to go with the honey. But you are going to get some great acidity and punch from the vinegar & mustard for balance. This side is full of flavor. And I probably enjoyed it more than the "main course" it was served with.