Mustard greens are known for being assertive and bitter. To match its potency we’ve paired it with other strong flavors, like garlic and salty ham. If you have some whole-grain mustard or hot sauce on hand, try adding a touch before serving.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 30 min |
| Prep: | 10 min |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 bunch mustard greens (about 12 ounces)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (Sicilian if you can get it)
- 1 cup pearled couscous (also known as Israeli couscous)
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces ham steak or leftover ham, diced
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a 2-quart saucepot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Remove and discard the stems from the mustard greens and pile the greens together. Slice into 1-inch-wide ribbons.
- Add half of the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the couscous. Cook until browned and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally to get even browning. Transfer to a bowl until the water is boiling. Once boiling, add the couscous and cook until tender, about 13 minutes. Save 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the couscous.
- Add the remaining olive oil and the garlic to the same skillet. Stir constantly until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the greens and ham all at once, season with salt and pepper and cook until the greens have wilted and the ham is warm, about 2 minutes.
- Add the couscous to the skillet along with the reserved cooking water, a few tablespoons at a time; the mixture should appear loose but not soupy. Serve as a main dish or as a side.
Reviews
Made this into a one pan meal – heated oil in a skillet, added couscous to toast, added garlic slices and sliced stems of mustard green. Added boiling water from a kettle, started with a cup, covered, added more water as needed. Once couscous was nearly done added mustard greens and ham. Also added a little Worcestershire and smoked paprika. Delicious!