The Man Also Cooks (Sweet potato leaves)

One of the secrets to a successful marriage, in my humble opinion, is having two partners who can cook, clean, bathe the children, etc. Sometimes The Hubby cooks dinner, and I am always super appreciative. He made dinner on a weeknight last week. I had bought some sweet potato leaves and Silver Queen corn from the Durham Farmer's Market . I was introduced to sweet potato leaves by a co-worker from China. She tells me that sweet potato leaves are even higher in iron and Vitamin C than spinach, though it is typically a food that is eaten by poor people. Well, I think it's rich and delicious enough to be a treat for everyone! And I'm always happy when I find it at the market. This is another one of those treasures that you can't find at the big grocery stores.

The dinner: Blackened Tofu, sweet potato leaves braised with garlic, and fresh buttered corn. Served with wheat rolls. Mouth-watering!
To make the blackened tofu: slice a slab of extra-firm tofu into 1-inch thick slabs. Drain on paper towels, press another paper towel on top gently to drain out as much water as you can. Rub the tofu with Cajun blackened seasoning, then pan-fry in hot peanut or canola oil till slightly crispy on the outside.

To make the sweet potato greens: Wash the greens and cut each leaf off at the stem. We left them whole, though they could be chopped. Heat some olive oil in a saucepan, and sautee some coarsely chopped garlic until fragrant. Add in the washed sweet potato greens and sautee for a minute or two. then, add half a cup to one cup of good quality, low-sodium vegetable broth and allow to simmer for 10 minutes until tender. Serve hot. They tasted a bit like spinach, a bit like collards, and a bit like sweet potatoes - altogether very tasty.

Fabulous, delicious, nutritious, EASY weekday dinner. Thank you Man of the House!