Coconut Creamed Greens and Dizzying Heights

A Moreish Side Dish + Among Flowers

Read

Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya by Jamaica Kincaid, pub. 2005
Buy: used copies online or at Bookshop.org

Jamaica Kincaid: a queen among mortals! Her writing never fails to be raw, candid, not too self-serious, deeply moving. This book is a travelogue of Kincaid’s journey to collect seeds in the Himalaya (yes, I’m removing the ‘s,’ just as she does in the book). For those who don’t consider it a personal hobby to keep up with writers’ hobbies, you should know that Kincaid is an avid gardener. She lives in Vermont and is obsessed with tending her land. With two botanists and another friend, she embarks on a three-week trek deep in the mountains of Nepal in order to collect seeds, transport them back home, and sow them in her own garden. On her way, she encounters leeches, racism, and many plants. Among Flowers reads like stream of consciousness: You’re immediately transported to this wild place, huffing and puffing your way up to 16,000 feet, eating ramen in the middle of a gorge, dodging landslides and yak herds, and obsessively ogling unheard-of flora along the way. It’s a meditation on life outside of the city; a celebration of the compulsion to go to the ends of the earth for the love of flowers – all with sneaky colonialist undertones. Plus, it clocks in at a tight 189 pages. What’s not to love?

Pairs well with: unexpected rainstorms, boiled potatoes, warm beer, laundry day

Eat

This moreish side is everything you love about creamed greens, but with coconut milk subbing for heavy cream, and a few spices to make it more interesting. I generally make a big batch at the beginning of the week (it keeps for 4-5 days in the fridge) so it finds its way into my meals: I’ll fry an egg and lay it atop; boil some grains and serve beneath the greens, letting the coconut milk seep; toss some beans into the mix and simmer; they’re also incredible in tacos. You do you! 

A couple notes:

• I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt throughout cooking and Maldon for a final seasoning. If you use table salt like Morton, use smaller pinches. Morton is saltier than Diamond. 

• You can sub any leafy greens here – curly kale, chard, dandelion greens, mustard greens, etc.

Coconut Creamed Greens
serves 2

1 leek, sliced into rounds, up until the stalky green part (you can sub 2 shallots here if you like)
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds (optional but delicious)
½ teaspoon ground turmeric (you can use fresh here, too. If you do, use 1 tablespoon minced)
½ bunch lacinato (aka dinosaur) kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
½ bunch collard greens, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped 
½ cup full-fat coconut milk (I love Aroy-D – it has no additives and tastes super clean)
evoo
kosher salt

In a sauté pan with high sides, heat a few glugs of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt, stir until thoroughly coated and sauté until leeks are softened, stirring a few times throughout, about 3 minutes. Add the mustard seeds and turmeric, mix well, and continue to sauté until the leeks are soft and yellow, about 3 more minutes. Next, add the kale and collard greens to the pan (if your greens don’t fit you can do this in batches) along with another good glug of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt. Making sure everything is coated (tongs help here!), sauté until the greens take on a bright green color and are cooked through but not soggy, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, stir through the greens, and let simmer for about 6-7 minutes until thick and glossy. It’ll only taste better the longer you let it cook, so keep at it if you have time! Now taste: You’re looking to retain a light crunch for the greens, sweet creaminess from the coconut milk, and earthy depth from the turmeric. Season with Maldon and serve.