Smoky Greens Food

SMOKY COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, paprika, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to the pot and once the water is simmering, add the greens (you may have to pack them in). Season generously with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, toss the greens well with tongs, and continue simmering on low heat, until the greens are completely cooked and nearly all of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes more.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm.

SMOKY GREENS WITH CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat a high sided skillet over medium high heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and bacon and crisp bacon. Strip kale from stems while bacon crisps up. Coarsely chop kale and add to the pan to wilt.. Season greens with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Scatter in cranberries and stir in stock. Simmer greens 10 minutes over medium low heat to plump cranberries and sweeten greens.

SMOKY BEANS AND GREENS ON TOAST

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium. Brush the bread on both sides with the olive oil. Lay the bread in the skillet and cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until crisp and golden brown, about 90 seconds per side. (If your slices are large, you may have to do this in two batches.) Set the bread aside.
• Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until it has browned a little and rendered at least a tablespoon of fat, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it has softened and turned golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, thyme (if using), red pepper flakes, and, if you're using canned beans, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.
• Add the slightly wet kale in batches, using tongs to stir the leaves into the onion mixture; wait for one handful of kale to wilt and shrink before adding the next. When the last of the greens has been added, add the beans and broth. Raise the heat and let the beans and greens simmer for a minute or two, just to warm the beans and bring the flavors together. Taste and add more kosher salt if necessary.
• Serve the greens and beans over the toast in wide, shallow bowls, dusted with a little more smoked paprika.

SMOKY COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• In large pot, bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil. Stir in collard greens. Cook 15 minutes, or until tender; drain.
• Meanwhile, in skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon 7 minutes, or until crisp, turning once. Drain bacon on paper towels; cool and crumble.
• In skillet with bacon drippings,k cook garlic, leeks and peppers 2 minutes. Stir in cooked collard greens and cook 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer mixture to serving platter. Top with crumbled bacon.