Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Balsamic-Dijon Collard Greens and Pork

I am a huge fan of pork tenderloin - it cooks quickly, always seems to come out tender, and can be sliced into medallions that always seem much tastier to me  than the pre-cut pork loins.

The other day, I made my go-to Balsamic-Mustard Pork Tenderloin along with a simple Collard Green preparation.  I wound up turning the sliced pork and its sauce into the collards, and the flavor combination was fantastic.  Both the collards and pork were tender and rice, and the sauce really added some depth to the greens.


Served with some applesauce (in its own bowl, because collard-flavored applesauce didn't seem like a grand idea), mainly because I grew up on The Brady Bunch, so I sometimes think one must always have applesauce with their pork!

If you'd like to make the pork, follow the link above.  This time, I patted a hearty amount of the last of my Spice House 'Bavarian Seasoning' all over the pork before searing it.  Here is how I did the collard greens:

Collard Greens

1 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Collard Greens, remove stems and cut leaves in ribbons - these cook down, so use at least 3 times as much raw as you expect to wind up with cooked.  I was lazy and bought a big bag of organic pre-sliced and used about half the bag
3 T. Bacon grease
2 t. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

Use as large a pan with a lid as you have. Melt the bacon grease in the pan (you can use other fats instead but this adds flavor as well as fat) and saute the onions until tender.  Add garlic and saute another minute, being careful not to burn it.  Then add the collards - they'll fill up the pan! - and saute until they start to cook down a little, trying to coat them with the bacon fat and mix in the onions as much as possible.  Sprinkle with seasoning and put the lid on.  Let simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Serve on  the side, or if you're making the pork, while this is cooking, have your finished pork resting before slicing, and make  the balsamic mustard sauce in a separate pan.  Slice the pork, coat with the sauce, and then, when your greens are done, turn the pork and sauce into the collard greens and give the whole thing a final stir to combine the sauce with the greens.

If you're not making the pork, try making the sauce for the collards, anyway:

Balsamic Dijon Sauce

1/4 cup broth or wine (red or white, as preferred)
1 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. Dijon mustard

Combine in a sauce pan, bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until thickened somewhat.  Pour over cooked collard greens, and stir to combine before serving.

Shared with: Traditional Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Hop, Family Table Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, The Creative Spark, Down Home Blog Hop, Flusters Creative Muster Party, Healthy 2D Wednesday, Party Wave Wednesday, Seasonal Celebration Wednesday, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, Wellness Wednesday, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Whimsy Wednesday, Wicked Awesome Wednesday, Wildcrafting Wednesday, Works For Me Wednesday, Wow Me Wednesday, Allergy-Free Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Wheat-Free Wednesday, Wonderful Food Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Creative Juice, DIY Thrifty Thursday, Eat-Pray-Love Link Party, HomeAcre Hop, Hookin' Up with HoH, Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Thank Your Body Thursday, Transformation Thursday, Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop, Thursday's Treasures, Fight Back Friday, Foodtastic Friday, Foodie Friday, Rattlebridge Farm Foodie Friday, Foodie Friends Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Gluten-Free Friday, Simple Meals Friday, What I Am Eating, Weekend Show-Off Party, LHITS DIY Link Party, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Farmgirl Friday, Freedom Fridays, Friday Favorites, Frugal Friday, Show and Tell Friday.              


11 comments:

  1. Yum! What a great recipe. Thanks for sharing on Wellness Wednesdays!

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  2. Sounds yummy! Thanks for linking up with wildcrafting wednesday!

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  3. Thank you for sharing your lovely blog at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop xo

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  4. I have collards growing in my garden year round and we just love them. They will be very good with your tenderloin recipe,it looks awesome. Have a great St. Patrick's Day and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

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  5. I have never had collard greens, but love a dijon mustard so we will need to give this a try. Thanks for sharing over on Tuesday Greens!

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  6. I really like pork tenderloin it always make such a nice presentation for guest too. Love collard greens great combo. Thanks for sharing this with us on foodie friday.

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  7. I will definitely try the sauce for the greens. Thanks so much for sharing this with Foodie Friends Friday.

    Joanne/Winelady Cooks

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  8. They sound delicious! Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop! Hope to see you tomorrow night at:
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/03/the-homeacre-hop-11.html

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  9. Love the addition of the balsamic dijon sauce with the collards and pork. Thanks for sharing on Thursdays Treasures.

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  10. Looks delicious!

    Thanks for sharing with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday! Hope you join us again today! http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2013/03/flip-trainer-review-at-eco-kids-tuesday.html

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  11. Your collard greens sound amazing! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! :)

    Thanks for linking back to the Gluten Free Fridays post!

    Party starts tomorrow at 7:05 pm eastern time! Hope to see you there!

    Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

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