Turnip Greens

Mr Fleming, do you have a way of making these taste good?

I simmered them in their own liquid with salt and a big hunk of good slab bacon for a couple of hours last night to serve with BBQ shrimp, and they were just bitter and gross, albeit tender.

Am I missing something?

Taste bud transplant.

Did I leave something out?

I like mustards, and collards, but these were just really nasty.

The shrimp however were delicious.

Mark, I really have no idea. I love turnip greens - and don’t consider them nearly as bitter as mustard greens (which I also love). Your description of preparation sounds just right. I guess it’s just a matter of personal taste.

acid

but seriously. Couple of technique issues. Sautee first then add acidulated, salted liquid. I like apple cider vinegar here. Cook thoroughly then high heat to evap the water or toss the water if your wife isn’t crazy nutrition freak. Then taste and correct with acid, salt, spice, all of which will reduce perceived bitterness.

Thanks Paul.
Will try them again.

Mark,

I talked to chef and he says acid isn’t necessary in the cooking. He recommends a gentle poach, then dress.

Here are some greens with black cod in a dashi “percolator” for our Twin Peaks themed menu.

We have (twice) gotten mustard greens (IIRC, that’s how they’re labeled) at our local Whole Paycheck which are WAY better than the standard ones. The taste is much lighter and better; you can eat them alone (put in MW or wok with a bit of garlic). Their color is considerably less dark too, so I’m not sure if they are some kind of varietal or what, but in any case I’d recommend them. Easy to recognize if they are this type by the lighter color.

Mark, I asked Bob about cooking collards several weeks ago and used a variation of simmering them in broth since then with really good results. The big difference between what I’m doing and what you did is the amount of time. I noticed you let your turnip greens cook “for a couple of hours.” Bob recommended 20 minutes for young collards and 30-45 for mature ones. I assume cooking times for turnip greens would be the same (I’ve done mustard greens for the same amount of time with good results). Could this be a matter of over cooking? I’m not sure, but thought it was worth asking.

Paul,

Agree on the acid. I personally prefer balsamic vinegar for its depth of flavor and caramel note.

I usually braised it with star anise, a little pomegranate molasses and some baking soda. Before the dish is done, I added a little balsamic vinegar.

David