Mess O' Greens Minnesota style (Mississippi River) with an array of healthy greens braised in sweet and tangy vinegar broth topped with smoked salmon.
My Yankee version of a Southern classic, Mississippi Mess O' Greens involves several greens like kale, spinach and collards in bone broth and vinegar, a little honey, smoked sea salt and cracked pepper and topped with wild caught smoked salmon. Mississippi is not for the state, but for the river, whose headwaters are in Minnesota.
Growing up on the banks of the Mississippi River in MN, I am forever reminded of its gentle current. The fresh constant movement of water in the summer, and the frozen playground in the winter provided endless activities.
I've done just about everything there is to do in that river. I've skipped rocks, swum, canoed, milk-carton boat raced, speed boated, sailed, water skied, fished, floated down on an innertube, hurled myself from a rope swing, gotten into plenty of mischief, played broom hockey on the frozen surface, ice skated, walked from the west side to the east side on the ice, and even fallen through. Some things I can't even talk about or my mom will find out. The Mississippi is very much a part of my moral (er, ah, immoral once or twice) fiber.
So it seems only fitting to name a dish after my childhood friend. My Mississippi Mess O' Greens sounds like a babbling brook when it cooks, and it makes a great side dish, or a nice bed for a protein. In this case, I used the tangy, smokey greens as a foundation for thinly-cut strips of smoked salmon. Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and makes for a fresh take on the ham or bacon typically found in Southern-style greens.
Let's get to the recipe, shall we?
The Recipe
Mississippi Mess O' Greens
1 C Packed Fresh Organic Lacinato Kale cut
1 C Packed Fresh Organic Collard Greens cut
1 C Fresh Organic Whole Leaf Spinach
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic sliced
2 Green Onions sliced
2 C Organic Bone or Vegetable Broth
3 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 T Raw Organic Honey
1/2 t Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt
1 t Course Cracked Black Pepper
4 oz Wild Caught Pastrami-Style Smoked Salmon
Instructions:
Step 1: Prep the Ingredients
Wash the fresh greens, trim off stems. Cut kale and collards into 1 inch cross slices, and leave the center vein for contrast and crunch. Leave the spinach whole. Peel and thinly slice garlic cloves. Cut roots and one inch off the tops of green onions. Cut green onions into 1/2 inch slices.
Step 2: Saute Onions and Garlic
In a Dutch oven, heat EVOO on medium. Add onions and garlic and saute until sizzling and translucent, about 1 minute.
Step 3: Braise Greens
Add 2 cups of broth, 3 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon smoked sea salt, and 1 t course cracked pepper to the pot. Drop in the cut fresh greens. Bring to a boil on high heat. Then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add salt to taste.
Serve in a bowl with a little of the broth and top with thin strips of smoked salmon.
Pair with Champagne.
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