Southern-Style Collard Greens
If you ordered collard greens (or mustard greens or turnip greens) at the now-defunct Highland Park Cafeteria in Dallas, the server would ladle them into a little bowl and add several spoonfuls of the pan liquid. This is the beloved pot liquor, a way to rescue the greens which have been cooked to the point that most of the flavor and nutrition has transferred to the juice. We have published a number of sautéed greens recipes on Burnt My Fingers using little or almost no liquid, but the deliciousness of our Bentons’s Ham Juice made us try a more traditional approach. To preserve taste and a bit of texture they are steamed rather than boiled, but you should end up with a generous amount of liquid and can add more if needed.
Ingredients:
1 bunch collard greens, coarsely chopped (about 4 c)
1 c ham juice or other rich, flavorful chicken, pork or ham stock
Salt to taste (the ham juice is plenty salty on its own)
1/2 c chopped ham bits and pieces from the ham juice
1 t sugar or honey (optional)
Method: add the greens, ham bits and stock to a large saucepan and cover; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure the liquid doesn’t boil away. (Add water or more stock if it does.) Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed; if greens are bitter add just a drop of sweetness. Serve in a bowl with the ham juice/pot liquor.
I cooked turnip greens this week for the first time in months. I haven’t made collard greens in several years. I prefer the young leaves and mostly I see older tougher leaves. I like to cook them slowly with a ham hock and onions. The onions bring the sweetness and keeps the bitter greens at their best. The pot liquor is the treasure of this dish. You have inspired me to seek tender leaves maybe at a local “farmers market.” I made the corn butter last week. It is terrific. A bit of work but worth every moment invested. My father used to cook turnip greens with collard greens, equal amounts . . . I am fond of the mixture and might add some turnip greens when I find the collars that are to my liking. Did you make the corn butter?
Probably will try the corn butter this weekend… have some southern style dishes planned they will go nicely with.
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