One problem whenever you’re blessed with entry to loads of contemporary native greens is what to do with all of them. How do you put together them in a approach that brings out their flavors and makes everybody need to eat them? Vegetable farmer John Yanga has spent lots of time pondering this very query. He likes to not solely develop greens, but in addition to provide you with inventive methods to arrange them. He’s really a vegetable whisperer, expertly reworking each conceivable vegetable from his farm into beautiful dishes. As considered one of his fellow church-goers says on the finish of this episode, he turns even the customarily shunned kale into one thing appetizing!
John was born in South Sudan and studied theology in Egypt earlier than fleeing the battle in his homeland together with his mom and his spouse. He moved to the US as a refugee in 2000 and shortly started working and coaching with Cultivating Community, a corporation based mostly in Portland, Maine whose work is rooted within the perception that everybody has the precise to good meals. The group empowers New Individuals by educating them sustainable farming practices and connecting them to the group by way of its meals hub. John is a graduate of Cultivating Neighborhood’s farmer coaching program, the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, and now has his personal farm plot the place he grows a stunning assortment of combined greens, together with many African varieties that may be arduous to seek out in Maine. John and his spouse promote their natural greens at considered one of Portland’s busy farmers markets. Over time, John has additionally spearheaded many advertising improvements, reminiscent of a Neighborhood Supported Agriculture (CSA) meals share for the Sudanese group.
On this episode, John shares considered one of his favourite methods to arrange greens, as a combined veggie platter with roasted hen thighs. He first cooks up a aromatic hen broth and makes use of the inventory to cook dinner the various greens he harvested, which he sautés individually. As an example he does African eggplants in a single pan, Italian eggplant in one other (as a result of they require totally different cooking instances), summer season squash and carrots collectively, after which all of the greens collectively. Within the video, he additionally made some roasted winter squashes and inexperienced peppers filled with sautéed veggies (although this isn’t formally a part of the recipe supplied beneath). He then assembles all this onto trays which might be stored heat within the oven. The hen used to make the broth can be roasted on high of potatoes wedges.
John makes use of contemporary herbs and spices generously, which, mixed with the hen broth creates a nourishing feast that’s bursting with taste and which he likes to share together with his church group.
As John says within the video, he loves exhibiting folks how greens may be the centerpiece of a meal. And whereas not everybody will get enthusiastic about greens, it’s actually because they haven’t had them ready in an appetizing approach. Generally it’s additionally as a result of they’ve misplaced their splendor on account of being shipped from midway around the globe after which sitting on a grocery shelf too lengthy. Spinach as an example can lose as much as 90% of its vitamins inside simply 24 hours of being harvested! Sourcing greens regionally, whether or not at a farmers market, farm stand, pick-your-own, or even perhaps from your personal backyard makes an enormous distinction not solely when it comes to freshness and style, but in addition nutrient content material. Even in chilly winter climates, farmers markets often have loads of locally-grown storage greens like cabbage, winter radishes, celeriac, beets, carrots, winter squashes. Some have year-round greens even in chilly climates. As John says within the video, locally-grown, natural greens simply style totally different from those you’d purchase on the grocery retailer. So it’s value searching for them out in your local people, not only for the flavour and nutrient content material however to help farmers like John who work so arduous to develop scrumptious nutritious meals for his or her communities.
John’s recipe leaves room for changes based mostly on no matter greens are in season in your space. As an example, for those who don’t have African eggplant or cabbage, be at liberty to substitute with what you’ve got readily available. Serves 8 to 12 folks.
Study extra about John on the Kitchen Vignettes blog.
- Rooster Inventory Substances:
- 8 cups water
- 6 hen thighs
- 1 onion, reduce into giant chunks
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled & complete
- 2 hen bouillon cubes
- 2 small inexperienced peppers (if obtainable)
- 1 handful chives and different contemporary herbs (if obtainable)
- Different veggies odds & ends to provide taste (John used the ends of summer season squash and carrots.)
- Sautéed Cabbage & Kale
- 1 small head of inexperienced cabbage, roughly chopped
- 1 handful chives, minced
- 1 giant bunch of greens, chopped (generally is a mixture of kale, Swiss chard, spinach)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Sautéed African Eggplant
- 2 African eggplants, trimmed and diced (John used a range from Mali however you possibly can substitute with what is accessible to you)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper to style
- Spices to your style (John likes to make use of Tajin spice combine, which incorporates lime, chili & salt)
- Sautéed Italian Eggplant
- 2 Italian eggplants
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper to style
- Spice combine
- Sautéed Summer time Squash and Carrots
- 3 small summer season squashes / zucchini, sliced
- 1 small bunch of carrots, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper to style
- Recent chopped herbs to style
- Roasted Rooster Substances:
- Rooster thighs which were simmering within the inventory pot
- 2 sliced onions
- 2 small sliced inexperienced peppers (if obtainable)
- 4 giant potatoes, reduce into giant wedges
- Recent chopped herbs: basil, rosemary, chives, or mint (if obtainable)
- Salt, pepper, and spice combine to style
- Olive oil
Substances
- Make the hen inventory:
In a big pot, on medium-high warmth, deliver all of the components to a boil after which decrease warmth to simmer every thing collectively for about Half-hour. Take away the hen for roasting and if you want, pressure the broth. - Put together combined veggie platter:
Sautéed Cabbage & Kale
Warmth the oil in a skillet or pot on medium-low warmth. Add cabbage and chives and cook dinner for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped greens and cook dinner for one more couple of minutes. If you want, add a couple of ladles of the hen broth to provide taste and cook dinner for one more couple of minutes. Don’t cook dinner any lengthy than wanted so the greens protect a few of their vibrant colour.Sautéed African Eggplant
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, eggplant, salt, pepper, and spices. Cook dinner from 5-10 minutes on medium-low warmth. Add a ladle of hen inventory midway by way of. (African eggplant doesn’t should be cooked so long as Italian-style eggplants so take away from the warmth when it nonetheless has some crunch).Sautéed Italian Eggplant
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, eggplant, and salt, pepper, and spices. Cook dinner from 10 to fifteen minutes on medium-low warmth. Add a ladle of hen inventory midway by way of. The eggplant needs to be very tender and browned when carried out.Sautéed Summer time Squash and Carrots
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook dinner on medium warmth for 4 to five minutes till translucent. Add the slice carrots and garlic and cook dinner till carrots are tender, about 7 minutes. Add a ladle filled with hen inventory midway by way of. Add the sliced squash and cook dinner for one more 4 to five minutes till the squash is tender. Add the chopped contemporary herbs, salt and pepper to style. Take away from warmth. - Roast the hen legs:
Preheat oven to 350 levels. Oil 2 giant baking sheet pans. Lay down onion slices, inexperienced peppers, potato wedges, and herbs. Place the hen thighs on high of the greens. Sprinkle flippantly with salt, pepper and spice combine. Roast for round 20-Half-hour till hen is golden on high and meat falls off the bone. - Organize the platters:
On one or two giant platters, organize your cooked greens into 4 strips, the cabbage/kale combine, the African eggplant, the Italian eggplant, and the sautéed carrots and summer season squash. Take away the hen from the oven and permit it to chill a couple of minutes. Serve every thing collectively and revel in! (You may as well put together some rice utilizing the rest of the hen broth for those who’d like so as to add a grain to the meal).
Instructions
Aube Giroux is a meals author, a James Beard award-winning documentary filmmaker and a passionate natural gardener and residential cook dinner, who shares her love of cooking on her farm-to-table weblog, Kitchen Vignettes.
