Southern Summer Nights: The Appetizer Course Day 2–Sautéed Greens with Pancetta Croutons French Rounds

Be sure to enter our little giveaway over at nwaFoodie today.  She's serving up some liquid refreshment that you're sure to enjoy.  You met Lyndi before.  She's that cutie who came by the lake house to check out our kitchen.  Oh, and she's the one who got us all fired up about a little smokeoff over the 4th of  July holiday.

I don’t know about you, but I grew up eating greens and pork of one variety or the other.  They were staples on my Nonnie’s dinner table, especially since they butchered and smoked their own pork.  The greens?  Well, she always had row and after of turnip greens and spinach.  Poke salad and dandelion greens were early spring delicacies to be savored while they were still tender and less bitter.

Pots of greens would simmer on the stove top for what seemed like hours to be served along side buttermilk cornbread and freshly churned buttermilk from the one or two milk cows that could be found in the backdoor pasture.  The greens were fragrant with pieces of smoked pork – bacon, ham, jowl, hock – whatever way available for the pot at the time.  Homemade sweet cream butter.  Oh yes.  That crispy cornbread would be swimming in melting pats of that.  And the buttermilk, which would be retrieved from the ice house just at meal time, was so cold it made your teeth chatter.

 

It was heaven on a plate.  While I don’t need those calories today, my mouth still waters at the thoughts of the smell  that permeated the entire home and the splendidness that made my taste buds sit up and pay attention.


(Remind me to tell you about the fresh cream that would be skimmed off the top of that milk by both of my grandmothers and serve as the very best treat I could possibly ask for.  Another story for another time.)



Those thoughts and memories were the inspiration for this appetizer.  I’m still working on a way to serve it on a cornbread variation, but I haven’t come up with anything that I prefer over the French rounds or bruschetta.  Both of which, by the way, work incredibly well.


This tasty treat will make you slap yo’ mama!

Sautéed Greens with Pancetta Croutons on French Rounds

Makes approximately 15 - 10

Purchased or homemade French rounds (small baguettes sliced about 1/4 – inch thick), toasted
1- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 head garlic, roasted
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 pound fresh baby greens (I used kale, spinach and arugula.), stems removed
1 1/4-inch slice of pancetta, cubed and browned until slightly crisp; set aside
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked pepper
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Spread a thin layer of roasted garlic on each of the rounds; set aside.  These can be prepared a day ahead  and kept in an airtight container until ready to assemble.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil (add additional if desired) over medium heat in a large skillet or sauté pan.  Add in the greens and sauté until just wilted and tender.   Stir in 1 – 3 cloves of the roasted garlic (to taste).  Remove from the heat and drain off any excess liquid.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Remaining roasted garlic can be set aside for another use.

The greens can be prepared about an hour ahead of time and kept at room temperature until ready to assemble and serve. 

To assemble, place about 1 rounded Tablespoon on each of the rounds, top with a garnish of the pancetta croutons and a sprinkle of the toasted sesame seeds.

Serve immediately.  Guests can assemble these on their own if you prefer.

My grandmothers would be so proud.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks to Microplane and Argenta Market for sponsoring this Giveaway.

 Be sure to enter over at nwaFoodie today.  She's serving up some mighty tasty libations.

Check out this post from Gina as well.  She created the cutest name/place cards for everyone.

Adapted from: Bon Appetit, Ya'll by Virginia Willis

Appetizers Day 1:  Black-Eyed Pea Salad on Endive


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Disclaimer: Microplane and the Argenta Market are supplying items for a giveaway. I have not personally been compensated by either entity. All opinions are my own.