Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most delicious. Oh, and this dish goes to show you that not all vegetable dishes have to be healthy (because, beef fat) or plainly vegetarian (because, pancetta).
2–4 SERVINGS
14½ ounces young Chinese mustard greens
1 tablespoon Beef Tallow/Rendered Beef Fat or cooking oil
4 ounces pancetta, cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
7 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tablespoon mushroom bouillon
½ teaspoon palm sugar
4 whole Thai chilies, dry roasted until lightly brown
BALLS OUT
40–80 SERVINGS
18 pounds young Chinese mustard greens
1¼ cups Beef Tallow/Rendered Beef Fat or cooking oil
5 pounds pancetta, cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
140 garlic cloves, crushed
10 tablespoons mushroom bouillon
3⅓ tablespoons palm sugar
80 whole Thai chilies, dry roasted until lightly brown
1. Tear mustard green leaves off of the bunch. If the stem/root is too thick, cut it off and dispose. Clean the leaves thoroughly.
OPTIONAL: To make the greens a tad less bitter, massage them with salt, then wash the salt off. We personally love the bitterness, but the bitter flavor can be overpowering for some people.
2. Slice each leaf in half down the middle, lengthwise. Fold cut halves over each other and cut (widthwise) the leafy parts into 2-inch sections. Cut stem parts about 1 inch wide.
3. Heat pan on high heat. Once the pan is hot, add ½ tablespoon Beef Tallow and sauté pancetta. Once browned, remove pancetta from heat. Set aside.
Add remaining Beef Tallow and sauté garlic. Next, add mustard greens and stir-fry until the leafy greens shrink. Decrease to medium heat and add mushroom bouillon and sugar and hand break the whole dried chili into pieces into the pan. Toss pancetta back in, stir-fry, then remove from heat, plate, serve family-style with rice, and convert people to the dark fatty beef side of preparing vegetables.