New Orleans Greens Food

NEW ORLEANS GREENS

Steps:

• Place the bacon into a large stock pot over medium heat, and pan-fry until crisp and brown, turning often, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon, allow to cool, and crumble when cooled. Set bacon aside.
• Pour water into the pot with the drippings, and stir in the onions, turnip, green and red bell peppers, apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, and celery seed. Bring to a boil, and stir in the mustard greens. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until greens are very tender, at least 2 hours. Crumble bacon into the greens to serve.
• For canning, sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the greens into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large dial-gauge or weighted-gauge pressure canner. Place the jars into the pressure canner, and add water to completely cover the jars. Seal the pressure canner, place over medium heat, and bring to 12 pounds of pressure. Reduce heat just enough to hold the pressure steady, and process for 75 minutes, or the length of time recommended for your area. Remove from heat, and allow pressure in the canner to release gradually; remove the lid, and remove hot jars with a canning tongs.
• Place jars onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

NEW ORLEANS SALAD

Steps:

• Add all the dressing ingredients to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let cool a little and add to the salad.

LOUISIANA COLLARD GREENS

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.