MMMMMustard Greens!

I've sat with many a foodie and debated the strengths and weakness of many types of greens.  Some people love sports.  Some knit.  Everyone has their own version of porn.  Mine happens to be food.  In particular, the cooking of it.

I'm not a huge fan of collard greens.  They're the most bitter of greens.  But some people like that bitter taste.  I'm also amazed at how the cooking time of baby spinach is about four minutes, while the cooking time of the greens more Southern in origin take hours to slow cook. 

To demonstrate the depth of my Southern cooking roots, my Granny (rest in peace) used to take me into the pastures and show me how to pick Poke.  Poke is a really tough but edible green that grows wild.  You boil it forever, drain it and then scramble it up with some eggs. 

I've decided that Mustard Greens are my favorite.  They're not as bitter as collards and they have a little more spine than spinach.  Their flavor lands somewhere in between.

Mustard Greens need to cook for a long time to get tender.  Take a head of Mustard Greens and rinse them really well under cold water.  Trim the leaves, discarding the thick part of the spine, and cutting into palm-sized squares.

Dice one medium yellow Onion. 

In a large crock pot, add 1/2 c. chopped Prosciutto Ham, chopped onion, mustard greens, and two cups of chicken stock, and add Kosher salt to taste.  Cook on low setting, stirring occasionally, for three to four hours.

I served mine with broiled catifsh and jalapeno corn pones.  This would go good with a spicy red like a Malbec.  Or if you like something sweeter, perhaps a Chianti.