Brooklyn-Style Collard Greens | Southern Cooking

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Jan

2010

This collard green recipe brings the tastes of the South to any dining room table. Collard greens are a staple vegetable of Southern U.S. cuisine and soul food. They are often prepared with other similar green leaf vegetables, such as kale, turnip greens, spinach, and mustard greens in "mixed greens". They are generally eaten year-round in the South.

1 smoked turkey wing or 2 medium ham hocks

3 to 4 bunches collard greens (about four pounds)

Salt

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 medium onion, sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, more to taste

1. Place turkey wing or hocks in a very large pot and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, turn heat to medium and simmer until water is reduced by about half.

2. Meanwhile, plunge greens into a sink full of lightly salted cold water, drain and then rinse well with cold fresh water. Trim or remove biggest stems. Place five or six leaves on top of one another and roll like a cigar, lengthwise. Cut collards into inch-wide ribbons, then, keeping collards rolled, cut ribbons in half.

3. Turn heat under pot to high. Add vinegar, one teaspoon salt and the garlic, then add as many greens as pot will hold. Wait until greens cook down, then add remaining greens. Turn heat to a simmer, cover and cook until greens for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add sugar, onion and crushed red pepper, cover again and continue to simmer until tender, another 15 to 30 minutes; time will vary depending on toughness of greens. Serve.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Michelle V. Agins. Recipe published in the New York Times on 12/29/09.