Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup
from Bon Appétit, January 2014

It might look like a lot when the greens are raw, but add them all anyway. They'll quickly wilt down to a silky texture. Also try it with: Beet greens, Swiss chard, kale, or turnip greens.

FMM: This is a wonderful soup. Somewhat light, due to the chicken broth base, but the pork sausage and noodles make the soup filling. Serve for lunch or dinner with a crusty bread and butter. The bread is great for dunking in the broth. We sub spinach for the mustard greens. You could also use Swiss chard, although I have not tried this.

½ pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch mustard greens, torn (about 4 cups)
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
8 oz. wide rice noodles

Mix pork, garlic, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and cumin in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add pork mixture; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until flavors meld, 8–10 minutes. Add mustard greens, scallions, soy sauce, and fish sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 5–8 minutes; season with salt and black pepper.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain. [Rice noodles do not take long to cook and overcooking them will cause them to become mushy. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.]

Divide noodles among bowls and ladle soup over.

Servings: 4

Nutritional Information

• Calories (kcal) 370
• Fat (g) 16
• Saturated Fat (g) 5
• Cholesterol (mg) 45
• Carbohydrates (g) 36
• Dietary Fiber (g) 3
• Total Sugars (g) 3
• Protein (g) 19
• Sodium (mg) 1370