Stewed Greens

Stewed Greens – A unique blend of collard greens, kale, spinach, and cabbage, elevated with the addition of flavorful leftover turkey.

So, last Thanksgiving, I didn’t do any cooking – gasp. Yes, I decided to have my Thanksgiving dinner catered. Catered? Hold on, no, I’m not a millionaire rolling in dough, nor have I won the lottery (although I’m secretly hoping to). I was under the weather and wanted someone else to cook for a change. 

Sometimes, another person’s cooking tastes so much better. If only someone could please convince my hubby that this is true so we can dine at my favorite steak house more often. He doesn’t believe me. Anyways, I ordered a whole smoked turkey. Why? Because my little man loves smoked turkey, and Thanksgiving is all about him.

When I asked him what he wanted to eat, his eyes lit up, and he said turkey, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, chocolate muffins, and chocolate ice cream; no kidding! Not happening while I’m still breathing. So we settled for a regular Thanksgiving menu with chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream for dessert. He got 3 out of 5.

Leftover Turkey for Perfectly Stewed Greens

If you’re like me, you try to find creative ways to use the tons of leftover turkey staring at you whenever you open the fridge. Well, my friend, here is one way to put it to good use—savory, delicious stewed greens.

I used kale, spinach, and cabbage in this recipe. You can use any or all of these vegetables. In fact, any green leafy vegetable works beautifully. Mine were frozen from when I got them on sale at the supermarket. I was totally lazy about it, even grabbing a bag of shredded cabbage and carrots (aka coleslaw).

I could’ve got chopped onions, but I couldn’t justify the cost with tons of onions already in the pantry. Stewed greens are also good with leftover ham, especially smoked. If you have some smoked shrimp or crayfish, feel free to toss them in with the onions and tomatoes.

What You’ll Need

1. Turkey – Leftover smoked turkey, bacon, ham, shrimp, or crayfish cut into bite pieces are all good. Whatever you’ve got. Saute it in a little oil to heat it.
2. Leafy Greens – Spinach, kale, collard greens, cabbage, callaloo, etc. (thawed if frozen) are the base.
3. Flavor – Onion, garlic, tomatoes, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper, and optional bouillon powder add plenty of delicious flavor.

How to Stew Greens

• Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot.
• Saute – Lightly sauté the turkey until fragrant and slightly browned for about 5 minutes. Set some aside if you want to use some to decorate when serving.
• Aromatics – Add onion and garlic, and stir often for 3-4 minutes, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
• Seasonings – Add tomatoes, cayenne pepper, paprika, and bouillon (if using), and cook for 7-10 minutes while stirring. Salt lightly
• Greens – Toss in the spinach, kale, and cabbage, and simmer for 3-5 minutes until tender. Mix well, adjust seasonings, and serve.

What Pairs With Stewed Greens

Enjoy stewed greens with crispy cassava fries or fried sweet plantains. Enjoy!!!

More Healthy and Delicious Recipes to Try

1. Cobb Salad
2. Sauteed Zucchini
3. Roasted Baby Carrots
4. Oven-Baked Salmon