Greens Recipe:Greens Collard

Greens Collard: This greens recipe, using collards is really delicious. In fact, it is the best that I've had- I used to avoid any type of greens like the plague. Greens are not common with bbq in many areas, but are common in the South, especially great served alongside smoked pork! Many people don't know how to cook greens, but it is really very simple- the trick, like making great soups, or braises- is having a highly flavorful liquid base. This helps tremendously as the greens are a bit tough and bitter, so the liquid combined with the right cooking time tames them and makes them flavorful

In many recipes greens collard or mustard, are combined with some sort of pork, and like any soul food worth its salt, bumped up with spice. The recipe here is the same and adds a bit of sweetand an acidic component - vinegar here- to cut through and brighten the flavor.

As with other greens recipes,the "potlikker" or the broth left over is highly flavorful and can be eaten separately, have corn bread dunked in it, or added to a soup base- so don't throw it away!

Recipe: Southern Collard Greens

8 oz. bacon cubed or sliced

10 cups water

1/2 onion left whole (to facilitate removal later)

1 tsp salt

Add bacon to water and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove bacon.

Add greens and 1/2 onion and salt. Simmer greens uncovered on low heat for 1 hour. Turn off heat.

To Finish:

1/2 large onion diced

1 Tb. Bacon fat, butter or oil

1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tb. Honey

2 Tb Apple Cider vinegar

Saute onion in hot bacon fat until brown. Add the greens and potlikker. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat through.

Test for salt, pepper, sweet and sour. You can adjust to your taste. Also, if the greens are too "brothy" bring to a slow boil and reduce to your liking. Don't worry it is hard to overcook these!

Serve with your favorite bbq and corn bread for dunking!

Serves 6-8.

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