Author Notes: I have been blessed with colorful characters in my family, as well as a long family history in Blue Island. This story is about a young girl,my grandmother Esther, in the days before World War I. With a new, highly fashionable habit of photography, and a Blue Islander ingenuity to fund it, my Grandmother Esther caught the Photography bug from a well-traveled uncle. Esther lived with her parents, in the family homestead, out on Wireton Road. During school breaks she would work the local farms, pulling horseradish, and other seasonal vegetables to pay for her camera supplies. The earth being rich, and bumper crops often plentiful, farmers recruited the local stock to help harvest. These type of crops would either end up at the local Market days on” Olde Western Ave”, or local canning plants. Esther’s Eastman Kodak #24 Brownie, and later, her deluxe Kodak Duaflex, served her well. Esther’s photograph collection gave me a truly wondrous retrospective of the early days of Blue Island. Both the photographs, the cameras and my love of vegetables are an important part of her legacy! From my Bungalow to yours, The Bungalow Chef! Mike Mech
—amy malysa
Serves: 6
Ingredients
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1.5
pounds winter greens(kale, escarole, mustard)
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12
fingerling potatoes
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2
tablespoons olive oil
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1/2
cup red onion
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1/2
cup celery
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1
piece garlic
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1/4
cup cider vinegar
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1/4
cup water
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1/2
teaspoon celery seed
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1/2
cup prepared mustard
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1/2
cup sugar
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1/4
teaspoon salt
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6
eggs
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1
dash black pepper
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1
dash kosher salt
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1
sprig parsley chopped
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1
piece bacon
Directions
- Boil fingerlings potatoes until fork tender, keep warm until needed.
- cook diced bacon in a heavy skillet until lightly browned, remove and drain on paper towels.
- remove 1/2 the fat from the frying pan, and the olive oil and saute garlic, celery and onions until transparent.
- add all other ingredients, and bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes
- portion greens on small salad plates. Ladle hot dressing over each portion lightly, just enough to cause the greens to start to wilt.
- shingle the fingerlings as garnish in the center of the greens, and drizzle lightly with more dressing.
- top with fried egg, ground pepper, kosher, salt, and chopped parsley to taste.
/6e10b89e-39bc-4525-b8d7-c6acdb1e05a5--Wilted_Salad_Low_Res.jpg "Kale Salad for Aunt Esther 2")
Photo by Mike Mech, The Bungalow Chef
