Country-Style Greens

Title:
Country-Style Greens

Yield:
6 Servings

Categories:
Creole,
Vegetables




Ingredients:





     2 bn Fresh collard, turnip, or


          -mustard greens


     1 tb Lard or rendered bacon fat


     1 md Onion, minced


   1/4 lb Smoked slab bacon or ham *


     2 c  Water


          Salt and freshly ground


          -black pepper, to taste


       ds Of Louisiana-style hot sauce






 * cut in 1/2-inch dices or 1/2 pound ordinary sliced bacon or ham


 


 Contrary to rumor, greens do not need hours of boiling in a sea of


 liquid, as this Mississippi recipe proves.  What they do need,


 however, is the flavor of smoked slab bacon or ham; if you must


 substitute ordinary bacon or ham, you'll need twice as much.  Greens


 are the traditional accompaniment to pork or ham; they also pair up


 well with corn bread or candied yams.


 


 1.  Trim away and discard the tough stems of greens.  To loosen grit,


 place the leaves and the remaining tender stems (you should have


 about 2 quarts) in a large bowl, cover with lukewarm water, and soak


 for 5 minutes. Rinse several times in lukewarm water to wash away any


 remaining sand.


 


 2.  Melt lard in a large, heavy, nonreactive pot with a lid.  (Do not


 use an aluminum pot; if possible, use one with an enamel coating.)


 Add onions and bacon.  Fry together over medium-high heat, stirring


 often, until onions wilt and bacon starts to brown (about 5 minutes).


 


 3.  Add greens and the water and bring to a boil over high heat.


 Cover, lower heat to medium, and cook until greens are tender, with


 just a little crunch (about 20 minutes).


 


 4.  Uncover, raise heat to high, and boil off some of the excess water


 (about 5 minutes).  Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste, and


 serve hot (dish should be slightly soupy).


 


 Serves 6.


 


 From "Regional American Classics", California Culinary Academy,


 Chevron Chemical Company, 1987.


 


 Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; November 3 1992.


 


 File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/cberg2.zip