You guys know we had done a video of what we still had growing in the garden. This was mainly okra, and mustard greens that are coming in now, but there is still very young cabbage, collard greens, and broccoli. These aren’t anywhere near close to coming in right now.
Since we are getting okra heavily, at least picking it every other day, and our mustards are just fixing to really be producing too, I figured we’d share with you a couple recipes, one for okra, and one for greens.
First off though, let me show you a couple pictures of what we picked today…
This first picture is of the okra, and this will do us another 15-20 pints pickled.
The second is of our mustard greens, and this will give us 4-5 good messes. This was the first real picking of these we’ve had. We picked two of the three rows, so there’s at least another 1/3 again of what’s in the floor. Those we’ll finish picking tomorrow.
Anyway, our first recipe today is one we’ll be cooking tomorrow. I can’t wait to try this, and afterwards, I’ll let you guys know how it turns out. I believe this will be pretty good. I KNOW I’ll like it, but I’m not so sure ole Deb will?? I think this is simply a case of…more for me!
Our first two recipes come from Epicurious. The last comes from once again from the cookbook, “The Best Kept Secrets of the South’s Best Cooks.” It comes from the editors of Southern Living.
Well, that’s enough gabbing for now, huh? Let’s fire off the cook stove here in Miz Judi’s Kitchen…
Spinach, Mustard Green, and Potato Soup:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 3 pounds potatoes, peeled, and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 8 cups (or more) of water…you can substitute chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon dried, crushed red pepper
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bunch mustard greens (about 12 oz.), stems trimmed, coarsely chopped
- 1 (10 oz.) package fresh spinach, stems trimmed
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add potatoes; sauté 3 minutes. Add 8 cups water (or broth) and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in another heavy pot over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mustard greens and all but 1 cup of spinach leaves; sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes.
Add sautéed greens to potato mixture. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender until smooth. (Can be prepared one day ahead. Cool. Cover and refrigerate. Return soup to pot. Bring to simmer, thinning with more water, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut remaining 1 cup of spinach leaves into 1/3 inch wide slices. Ladle soup into bowls. Add dollop of sour cream to each bowl. Garnish soup with spinach leaves and serve.
Okra and Corn Bake:
- 2 cups sliced fresh or frozen okra
- 3 to 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 can (11 to 15 ounces) whole kernel corn, or about 1-1/2 cups cooked corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
Stir-fry okra in 2 tablespoons butter for 10 minutes. Place in baking dish alternating layers with drained corn.
Make a white sauce by melting remaining butter in a saucepan over low heat and blending in flour. Milk should be added all at once, cooking quickly and stirring constantly. Cheese is stirred in until blended. Pour this mixture over vegetables.
Melt remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle buttered crumbs over casserole. Bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes, until the casserole is heated through and the crumbs are brown.
Molasses Pork Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce:
Well, since we might be catchin a few pigs here directly in our new hog trap, and we’ll feed some out, why not give a dern pork recipe today too? I just believe we will!!
- 1-1/4 cups molasses
- 1 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons minced, fresh ginger
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 3 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins
- **Red Wine sauce
Combine molasses, soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, ginger, and garlic in a shallow dish or zip-lock freezer bag; add tenderloins. Cover or seal, and chill for 8 hours.
Remove tenderloins from marinade. Grill tenderloins, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 160 degrees. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with Red Wine sauce.
** Red Wine Sauce:
- ½ small sweet onion, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 (14 oz.) can beef broth
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Saute onion in butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add wine; cook 3 minutes. Add beef broth; bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes.
Stir together ¼ cup water and cornstarch; add to broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat, and serve over tenderloin.