Spigarello with Black and Green Garlic and Wild Mustard

Spigarello is an Italian member of the broccoli family and has a light and slightly sweet flavor. It’s full of healthy vitamins like A, C, and K is a lovely item if you need a little bit of a change from broccoli or kale. Wild mustard is available from Jan-March in the region I live in, but you can absolutely use just spigarello if wild mustard isn’t available.

Ingredients:
6 cremini mushrooms, very thinly sliced
1 bunch spigarello (leaves and stems), chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 small bunch wild mustard (leaves and stems), chopped into 1 inch pieces, flowers set aside
3 cloves black garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup (according to preference)
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 long piece of green garlic, chopped
Sea salt, to taste
Mustard flowers, for garnish

In a sauté pan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sauté your creminis over medium-high heat until they begin to caramelize at the edges. Salt, to taste. Add the remaining olive oil, along with the spigarello and sauté until just beginning to soften and become tender. Add your wild mustard stems and leaves and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes or until the mustard softens.

Whisk together your maple syrup and apple cider vinegar, adding the minced black garlic and a pinch of sea salt, and mixing well. Pour the garlic and vinegar mixture over the greens, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook for 2-3 minutes, remove the lid, add the green garlic and salt, to taste, cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the greens are tender. Garnish with mustard flowers.

I served this side dish with brown rice and white fish in a curry sauce, but I also mixed it into fried rice made the following morning from the leftovers and put a fried egg on top. I finished it with my favorite condiment: fried chili in oil.

I love this Spring dish. Enjoy!