"These mustard greens are way too strong. They're like wasabi. David... Do you want them?"
Some variation on that scene happens frequently in the test kitchen. And often results in some of my favorite meals. Case in point...
I shredded the mustard greens and blanched them for about 30 seconds (they really were blow-your-head-off spicy!). Then they went into a sauté pan with some raw garlic and raw homemade sausage, salt and pepper, plus a bit of crushed red pepper flakes. I sautéed all this until the sausage was cooked, then added a splash of white wine, cooked that off, and added some cream. I combined this mixture with the almost cooked pasta... finished them together... and shaved some Parmesan over the top.
Was this pasta for the faint of heart?
It was not.
Was it hot and spicy and creamy and sausagey and totally delicious?
It sure was!