Jerk Chicken and Greens (Kale and Chard)

Friday 1/15/10

We've been using up the chicken parts pretty well these days, especially since Christmas when Peta gave Jim a meat cleaver. Yes! The breasts go for Indian dishes or Italian food such as Chicken Marsala or Milanese, the legs for Peta's Italian chicken, the wings for Jerk Chicken (the link is for Jerk Pork, but the Jerk is the same), the livers for Chicken Paté and the wing tips, back and innards for homemade stock.

We went with Jerk Chicken Wings tonight and, because Peta hasn't worked with much in the way of greens, Jim decided to sauté some kale and Swiss chard he and Page picked from the Stanford organic garden. We can't remember if we've posted about greens before, but essentially, you sauté some minced garlic (perhaps in bacon fat?) for a minute, add the chopped stems of the greens and red wine vinegar and water (or stock) and simmer until tender and liquid is almost gone, then throw in the chopped leaves, let them wilt, add more liquid and simmer for ten minutes. We apologize for the slap-dash "recipe", but it's really just a matter of having a little fat, some aromatics and some acidity to balance the bitterness of the greens.

A super easy and mostly healthy (healthful?) after work meal for pennies. Cheers!