THESE RECIPES ARE MY PROPERTY; YOU MAY USE THEM FREELY, BUT YOU MAY NOT USE THEM IN ANY CONTEST OR PUBLICATION WITHOUT GIVING ME CREDIT.

Southern Greens--Collards, Turnips, Mustards

Southern greens are some of my favorite things to eat. I love them fresh, frozen or canned.  This recipe isn't mine; it is my mother's.  This is for fresh greens.

3 bunches (pounds) of greens, washed--see directions below
4-5 strips of bacon, cut into one inch pieces
1 ham hock
2 medium onions, diced
4 toes/buds of garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and/or a couple of dashes of hot sauce
3 cups chicken or beef broth (I prefer beef, but chicken is fine, too)
If making turnip greens, one turnip root, peeled and diced



Wash the greens thoroughly. (Fill clean kitchen sink with cold water and add greens, stir them around for about 5 minutes and then let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove greens from water and if there is a lot of dirt in the sink, empty water and repeat the washing process.   Remove the stems that run down the center by holding the leaf in your left hand and stripping the leaf down with your right hand. The tender young leaves in the heart of the greens don't need to be stripped. Stack 6 to 8 leaves on top of one another, roll up, and slice into 1/2 to 1-ince thick slices.
 In large stock pot, fry bacon with onions and garlic for about 3 minutes.  Bacon should not be done, but should be releasing fat/grease.  Do not drain grease unless there is more than 4 tablespoons of grease.  Add broth, salt, sugar,  black pepper, diced turnip roots if making turnips, pepper flakes/hot sauce and  ham hock.  Bring to boil; let boil 5 minutes and then simmer for 1 1/2 hours until ham hock is tender.  Add greens and return liquid to boil, pushing greens down into liquid.  Simmer for 2 hours until greens are tender. NOTE:  Many Southerners put a little apple cider vinegar in their greens.  Use 1/4 cup of vinegar.  Add when putting greens into broth.


No comments:

Post a Comment