New Orleans Greens Recipes

Steps:

• To prepare greens, cut away the tough stalks and remove all stems from the collards. Discard any leaves that are bruised or yellow. Wash the collards thoroughly to remove the grit, 2 or 3 times, until the water runs clear. Dry thoroughly -- you can do this easily by rolling them up in a clean dish towel. (I sometimes use two bags of pre-cut and prewashed collard green pieces from the produce section, but I still break off any large pieces of stem as they tend to be tough even after cooking.).
• Place a large pot or cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. When it is heated, add the onion, bay leaves and ham hock. (If using bacon, cook beforehand and then add when the greens go in.) Cook the mixture until the onions are soft and are starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes. To prevent the garlic from burning, add it just a few minutes before the onions are done.
• Pack in greens, pushing them down into the pot. Add the broth, vinegar and sugar. Bring up to a boil, turning the greens over occasionally with a wooden spoon as they wilt. Lower to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 1 hour. Taste the "pot liquor" (broth) and check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as desired.
• Cover again and let cook for an additional 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Some recipes use a lot less cooking time, but this additional time really helps all the flavors come together. (If using the bagged pre-cut collard greens, they may only have to cook for another 1 to 2 hours.) Remove the bay leaves and ham hock, dicing up and adding any meat from the ham hock, drain off excess cooking liquid, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add half of the mustard greens, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted and reduced in volume by half, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining greens and season with more salt and pepper; cook again until the greens are wilted and evenly incorporated with the onions and garlic.
• Add the chicken stock, vinegar and ham hock to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook at a slow simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring halfway through. The greens are done when the stock has almost completely reduced and the ham hocks are tender when pierced with a pairing knife.
• Remove the ham hocks to a cutting board and pull the meat from the bone with two forks. Discard any fat and skin, and then stir the shredded meat back into the greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and garlic. Blanch for 3 minutes and drain.
• In a small bowl, combine the salt and spices.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil, honey, and the spice mixture. Let the honey "melt" together with the olive oil and spices.
• Pat the drained beans and garlic cloves dry with paper towels, add them to the pan, and toss gently to coat them in the honey-spice mixture, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Turn off the burner, pour Cognac into the pan, and flambe the beans until the alcohol is burned off. To flambe, ignite the alcohol by carefully touching the edge of the pan with the flame of a match or lighter. Novices are best off using fireplace matches or wooden kitchen matches instead of flimsy paper ones. Place the beans and garlic in a dish and serve, drizzling the remainder of the honey-spice mixture over them. Season with extra salt, if needed.

Steps:

• Cook beans according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon, onion and green pepper over medium heat until bacon is crisp and vegetables are tender. Remove with a slotted spoon., Stir the flour, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and mustard into the drippings until blended. Stir in tomatoes. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Drain beans and add to skillet. Stir in bacon mixture.