February 29, 2020

Massaged Mustard Greens Salad

This hardy, meal-sized mustard greens salad is a delicious way to eat the bitter mustard greens. A light massage in sesame oil leaves the greens tender and milder, topped with smoky king oyster mushrooms, crisp and crunchy purple cabbage, sweet bell peppers, shallots, and a sweet and nutty tahini dressing. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds and you’re set! This isn’t a iceberg lettuce and 2 unripe cherry tomatoes type of salad- this salad has layers of flavors and textures that will keep you excited about the next bite.

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All About Mustard Greens

Mustard greens are the green, frilly leaves from which we get mustard seeds, which becomes one of our most popular condiments. They are one of the bitter greens, filled with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and have been shown to help lower cholesterol, boost your immune system, and even fight cancer. They are high in fiber, low in calories, and contain tons of vitamins K, A and C. You can usually find good mustard greens in winter and early spring, and should be picked crispy, even in color and on the darker side, and not wilted. Store your mustard greens in the crisper drawer, and eat them APSP for the tastiest salad. The most commonly found type of mustard greens are curly mustard greens, which is what we used in this recipe, but there are some other types.

Looking for Bitter Greens? Try one of these recipes!

Making this Mustard Greens Salad

I first made a variation of dish for my dad, who looked at me and the hot skillet confused- “I thought you said you were making salad?”. I firmly believe that most good salads have a cooked component- be it crispy mushrooms, quinoa, or boiled sweet potatoes. Our cooked component is the king oyster mushrooms. For those of you who have never tried king oyster mushrooms, most of the mushroom is made up of the large, thick stalk (in fact that’s all we used in this recipe). Slice them into circles, and if you like you can make the shrimp-like shape I did by cutting an S shape through the center. Then they get marinated for a short while before cooking them to get a nice sear on both sides.

Massaging greens isn’t quite as silly as it sounds- it’s a way of making the greens softer and less bitter, by rubbing salt and oil into the leaves. You can learn a little more about it in my earlier massaged swiss chard salad. It won’t take long, and it makes the experience of eating tougher or more bitter greens much more pleasurable. After that, the other ingredients get a quick chop, the salad is blended together smoothly, and you’re ready to eat!

Mustard Greens Salad with Smoky King Oyster Mushrooms

Yield: 4 Meal-Sized Servings

Mustard Greens Salad with Smoky King Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

3 king oyster mushrooms
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. mirin
½ tsp. apple cider vinegar
¼-1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
Olive oil, for cooking
1 large bunch of mustard greens
½ tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sesame oil
½ bell pepper
1 cup chopped purple cabbage
1 shallot
1 tbsp. sesame seeds

For the Dressing:

¼ cup tahini
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. soy sauce

Instructions

Prepare your king oyster mushrooms by cutting off the bottoms and caps, and then cutting the stems into ½- ¼ inch thick mandolins. I cut in “S” shape into mine, but you can also keep them full or cut into half circles, whatever you prefer. In a mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, mirin, apple cider vinegar, and paprika, stir together, and then add the mushrooms, tossing so they are all coated. Set aside, and let sit for at least five minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the mushrooms are marinating, wash your mustard greens and spin or pat dry. Remove the leaves from the stem, tear into bite-sized pieces, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and sesame oil and massage for 2-3 minutes, until the leaves have softened.
Chop the bell pepper into small cubes. Finely chop the cabbage, and finely dice the shallot.
Make the dressing by adding all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you’ve reached your desired thickness. If it does get too thin, you can add a little more tahini to thicken again.
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add the king oyster mushrooms along with any remaining marinade. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, and flip each mushroom over, cooking until you get a sear on the other side. To serve, top massaged mustard greens with cabbage, bell pepper, shallot, king oyster mushrooms, tahini dressing, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

https://veryveganval.com/2020/02/29/massaged-mustard-greens-salad/

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