Into the Winter, you can count on greens to still bring freshness from farm to table. Greens embrace the cold weather and get sweeter after some light frosts. Almost impossible to overcook, greens also hold for many days due to the use of salt and vinegar. They also freeze well. So, if you are making a batch, make a big one.
This past New Year’s supper menu I created had to include greens. It is said you must have greens on New Year’s day to make you rich in the coming year. A most common method for a batch of greens is to cook them down with a nice ham bone. Down South, they may say there is no other way to cook greens other than with ham.
I often receive dietary requests for meals that do not contain pork. I run across this more frequently than vegetarian requests. So, this recipe for braised greens is made with chicken and beef stock and no ham. Yes, it is true, it is possible and it is delicious! A nice touch is to have a crispy bacon or sausage garnish for those craving a salty pork nuance to the dish. And, if you want the dish to have ham, just add it and follow the same recipe.
Braised Greens
- 3-4lb. greens – half collard/half kale
- 1 lg. onion – medium chop
- 6 garlic cloves – fine chop
- 1 c. + cider vinegar
- 1 T + hot sauce
- 1 T + Worcestershire
- kosher salt, cayenne pepper, white pepper – to taste
- 2 T honey
- 2 T brown sugar
- 6 c. each chicken and beef stock
- 2 T each oil and butter for saute
Rinse greens thoroughly. Remove the thickest part of the rib of the greens. You can use a knife, or just use your hand and slide it down the rib, tearing it off about two-thirds along the way, which is faster.
Chop the greens into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces. Don’t worry too much about how nice and neat they look, once they are cooked down, you will never know how pretty they used to be!
Heat a large stock pot on med-high heat and melt butter and oil. Saute the onions and garlic until they are browned well. Working in batches, add two to three handfuls of chopped greens at a time and saute until they are bright green and slightly tender – about 2-3 minutes per batch. Stir frequently as you continue to add all of the greens.
Add the cider vinegar and cook down for a couple of minutes. Add stock and the rest of the seasoning. Be careful with your salt and pepper, hold back to adjust the flavor in the last 1/2 hour of cooking. The liquid should just cover the greens by no more than a 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer. Cook for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Check for taste, adding more flavor based on your preference. You may like the greens to have more vinegar or be hot and spicy. I go for a sweet heat!
Pictured are the greens with the New Year’s Supper menu of Hoppin’ John and Daube.
