I love Thanksgiving. It's probably one of my all-time favorite holidays. I love trying new recipes, spending time with friends and family, getting a day off work and school, and truly giving thanks for all that seems to be going right with my life. That being said, I also love food. I love, love, love eating food on Thanksgiving. The thing with Thanksgiving though, is that everyone seems to focus on everything but the vegetables (mashed potatoes don't counts because they're all over the place). There's that horrid green bean casserole that everyone makes and then maybe, if you're lucky, some roasted squash or carrots. This dish changes all that. It has a wonderful flavor and texture with just a hint of sweetness from the cranberries. Not to mention, it's got that festive holiday coloring too. This is a "make the day ahead" dish, but you could simmer it on low on a back burner or put it in a slow cooker overnight as well.
If you haven't had greens before, I'd recommend turnip greens. They're not as bitter or um, pronounced, in their flavor as other varieties can be. Also, please use an actual orange and not orange juice to make this recipe. Orange juice in a carton never has the right flavor when you cook with it.
To prepare the greens, wash several times in cold water or until there is no longer any grit or dirt in your sink. After removing the greens and water is clear, tear the leaves away from the hard, middle stem (though they usually cook tender unless they were picked after their preferred picking time). Stack them on a plate, roll them up, and slice into 1/2 inch slices.
Citrus Greens with Cranberries:
2 lbs. turnip greens, washed and trimmed
1-2 Tb. olive oil
1/2 Tb. minced garlic
3 shallots, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
juice of one juicy orange
2/3 c. dried cranberries
4 c. vegetable broth
Toasted almond slices, opt.
1. Wash and trim greens; set aside
2. In a large stock pot over medium heat, saute the shallots and garlic in oil until softened and fragrant, about five minutes.
3. Add sea salt, the juice of an orange, and the cranberries, and let simmer a minute.
4. Add the vegetable broth and greens.
5. Let the greens cook down a bit before covering. Then, cover and simmer on medium-low for about two hours, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!
