Collard Greens
Greens are a salute to Southern ingenuity in transforming huge leaves into an edible and healthy meal. The trick is to cook them so they are neither bitter nor tough. Here's how to do it.
Ingredients
- 3-4 lbs. fresh collar greens stem removed (1 grocery sack serves four)
- 5 slices bacon or ham hock for even more flavor
- 1 medium onion halved and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups chicken broth part water is okay
- 4 tsp. cider vinegar
- 1 Tbs. brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash any remaining grit from greens and remove center stem. Stack leaves and roll a batch into a cigar shape. Slice through the "cigar" lengthwise and the crosswise in 3/4 inch slices.
- Cook bacon until it's brown around the edges. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly brown and softened. Add broth, vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste--remember the broth and bacon are both salty. Stir well and bring to a boil. Add stemmed and cut collards. Reduce to low and cook till collards are tender and pale green.
- Serve with cornbread for sopping up the remaining juices--pot likker--that is rich in Vitamin A.
Serves 8.
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