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.

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