Next Day Fried Greens Food

NEXT-DAY FRIED GREENS

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add neck bones and pigs' tails, or smoked turkey wings or pork chop or ham hock, plus Savannah seasoning, red pepper, bacon grease and 4 tablespoons of butter. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour or until the meat is tender.
• Meanwhile, remove the collard stems by holding each leaf in one hand and stripping the leaf down with the thumb and index finger of the other hand. Discard the stems.
• Stack 7 or 8 leaves on top of one another, roll them up tight like a cigar and slice into 1/2-inch-wide strands. Repeat until you have cut all the leaves. Then wash the collards twice, shake them and drain in a large colander.
• Add the collards to the stock, cover and simmer until they are tender. In the summer, they will cook in 45 minutes to an hour, but in winter, they will take only 30 to 45 minutes because the first frost will have tenderized them. Keep a close eye on them; you will know they are done when they are tender but not mushy. Near the end of the cooking, check the amount of liquid left in the pot. If there is too much, more than 1 cup, uncover the pot to cook down the liquid a bit.
• Remove the meat from the bones and discard the bones. Return the meat to the greens and transfer to the refrigerator overnight.
• The next day, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet set over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for a few minutes until it just starts to soften, then add the greens, meat and cooked rice. There should be more greens than rice. Sauté over medium-high heat until the dish is heated through.

PAN-FRIED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Add bacon to a large skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
• Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, for another 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add the greens, honey, hot sauce and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook the greens, stirring occasionally, until greens are nice and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper if necessary. Serve hot with bacon on top.

PERFECT MIXED GREENS

Steps:

• Pull the leaf portions of the collard, mustard, and turnip greens away from the tough stems, and discard the stems. Gently wash the greens in warm water to remove all soil and sand. Partially fill a clean sink with warm water, and stir in 3 tablespoons of salt and 2 cups of chicken broth; allow greens to soak in the mixture for 10 minutes. Scoop up the greens and allow to drain in a colander; discard used chicken broth. Do not rinse the greens.
• Pour the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth into a large pot, and mix in the greens. Stir in vegetable oil, garlic, bacon bits, and sugar, and season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the greens are tender, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

FRIED GREENS

Steps:

• Wash the greens, leaving droplets of water on the leaves. Remove any tough stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. In a 12 inch nonstick skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes or until crisp; transfer to paper towels. Pour off all but 1 Tblsp. of the drippings. Add the red bell pepper and onion to the drippings and saute for 5 minutes or until soft. Stir in the greens and black pepper. Saute 10 minutes longer or until the greens are tender. Top with the bacon.

SOUTHERN COOKED GREENS

Steps:

• In a large pot, saute the bacon until slightly crisp. Add the onions and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Cook 6 to 7 minutes, until the onions are wilted and golden. Add the brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the water and vinegar and mix well. Begin adding the greens, a third at a time, pressing them down as they begin to wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until the greens are soft, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve hot.

STIR-FRIED BEEF AND GREENS

Steps:

• Season 1 1/4 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2-inch-long slices about 1/4 inch thick, with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium-high heat. Add beef to skillet; cook, tossing occasionally, until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger and 3 stalks celery, sliced 1/2 inch thick diagonally; cook until celery is soft, about 4 minutes.
• Add 2 bunches watercress, trimmed and washed; toss until wilted, about 1 minute. Return beef with any juices to skillet; stir in 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Serve hot over rice.