Since the weather is so bad today, I got to work from home. Thank you Jesus (and Richard)! While I was sitting here, working away, it started to snow. Don't know why but this made me want to cook collards. Not sure why snow made me think of collards because I have never cooked collards before, but it did. And, since I had everything I need to cook them, and it was cold, that is what I decided to do.
So, I bundled up and went out to the garden and picked me a mess of greens (the proper term for a group of any type of green). Then I brought them in and stripped and washed them. I set them aside and proceeded to make a stock. This stock will become pot liquor (or pot likker) when the greens are done. To make my stock, I chopped up one whole yellow onion. I put a little EVOO in the bottom of the soup pot. I added the onions, ½ pound of smoked pork necks, 1 teaspoon (tsp) salt, 1 tsp Zattaran’s Cajun spice and fresh ground black pepper. I sautéed this until the onions were clear. I then added three cups of water and brought it all to a boil. I let it boil for about 3 minutes then I reduced it to simmer and covered. While the stock was simmering I put another big pot on to boil. I filled that pot half full of water and added 1 tablespoon (tbsp) of salt. Next, I started rolling and chopping the greens. I would take a small handful and roll them up like a cigar. I then took my knife and cut the roll into about 1/2” strips. When the green were all cut up I added them to the rapidly boiling salt water. I boiled them for three minutes and then poured off the water. This is supposed to help remove some of the bitterness. Finally, I added the drained greens to the stock and let it simmer for an hour. OMG!!!!! These things are wonderful! I just cannot believe my mother never fixed these for me growing up.
Back to the “Don’t believe everything you hear” part of the title. Everyone I have ever talked to said that collards stink when you cook them. Mine did not. They also said that they are so bitter you have to add lots of pepper sauce just to get them down. Mine are not bitter at all.
Cooking and listening to the Bellamy Brothers sing “You Aint Just a Whistlin’ Dixie” put me in a very mellow and nostalgic mood. Big M called and told me about how my grandfather used to love collards and poke salad. How Southern is that? Talking to her about my history while cooking collards really made me reflect on how truly happy and blessed I am to have been raised in the southern half of the USA. I am so thankful that I have a garden full of greens (chard, collards and turnips) and a beautiful yaupon in the front yard. I am thankful for homegrown fried green tomatoes and cornbread that Sally and I are going to have for dinner tonight. I am also especially thankful that this snow will not last like it does up north. And finally, I am truly thankful that once again God has made me aware of his majesty!
P.S. If you are interested in learning about pot liquor go here:
http://food.theatlantic.com/behind-the-counter/potlikker-from-slave-plantations.phpP.S.S. The first picture is the collards I grew and cooked accompanied by the pepper sauce that Sally and I grew and canned!
