Foodie Friday

Wilted Mustard Greens with Sichuan Peppper

Why are you not eating mustard greens? You should be eating mustard greens. You should also be taking advantage of the 2005 lifting of the ban on Sichuan peppers, tiny seed pods that have a slight citrus flavor and cause a mild sensation of numbness in the mouth.

I make the broth in this recipe by chopping up the bones and carcass of a roasted chicken (don't throw them away, you wasteful fuckers), simmering them in a stock pot with salt, a pinch of anise seed, a stick of cinnamon, an inch or so of lemon grass, a few allspice berries, a quartered onion, a few green onions, and some salt.

1 large bunch mustard greens, chopped into broad strips, stems reserved
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbspns Sichuan peppers, husks only
2 tbspns Asian chili sauce with bean paste (available at any Asian grocery)
chicken stock
extra virgin olive oil
salt

Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan over high heat. Add enough oil to thoroughly cover the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and salt lightly. Sauté until soft and translucent. Add half the peppers, the chili sauce, lemon juice, and a ladle of broth. When boiling, begin adding greens, starting with the stems. Cover the batches and reduce heat to medium. As they wilt, add more greens, repeating the process until all of the greens are in the pan. Throughout the process, add broth as needed to keep a bit of liquid boiling in the bottom of the pan. Once all the greens are in the pan and beginning to soften, mix together well. Continue to cook until the leaves are very tender and the stems retain just a slight crunch. Add the other half of the peppers. Drain most, but not all, of the liquid. Serve family style on a large serving dish.