Sunday dinners seemed to always be the best... it is a time when family comes together to eat a home cooked meal that is full of comfort food and lasting memories. Eating greens, whether it be collards, kale, turnip or mustard always seem to hit the spot for me. When preparing this southern delight be sure to do it with love and as the old saying goes, put your foot in them! ( not literally!)
“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is... ~ Proverbs 15:17
Preparing greens can be hassle, the cleaning to and cutting can be enough to wear anyone out. You can buy your greens fresh the old school way and take the time to clean off "the grit" as they say, which is really the dirt and anything else that may have crawled and crept on them or you can prepare them the fast way...simply put them in bags already cut up!
When selecting your greens you can cook just one type or you can combine them. I always use at least 2 types with my favorite combination being turnip and mustard. I have tried many combinations and haven't mixed one together yet that still did not taste good with this recipe!
Let's get things started!
You will need the following items: Cooking pot, large knife, measuring cup, cooking spoon, measuring spoons and cutting board
Food Items:
Approximately 4 cups of water
2 Smoked turkey wings- (they generally come in packages this way)
4 Chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup of Morena Sugar
2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
2 bags of greens : 16oz. each( I generally buy turnip and mustard, turnip and kale is also a great combo)
If you are buying them fresh washing your greens does not necessarily it requires soap. I have heard and read about people that use dishwashers to clean them however, I do not advise this. Separate each leave and rinse them thoroughly until you feel no "grit". This can be tricky because at times a leaf may look clean, but it still has fine specks of dirt on it. After washing thoroughly, lay each leaf down on the cutting board on top of
each other. Roll the greens from stem to tip and then slice them approximately 1/2 inch apart. If you have purchased the bagged greens, skip this step and prepare your pot first.
Preparing your pot:
Put all of you seasoning including the smoked turkey necks in the pot and put the greens on top. Let the greens simmer for a minimum of 2-3 hours. I at times cook them much longer on very low heat. I have found that when they look longer on lower heat, the more flavor you will get . Check on greens for tenderness and stir as necessary. You can break apart the meat while the greens cook with your spoon. Some like to eat the meat in the greens but if you don't, you will still get the same great flavor.
Once greens are done try putting a little honey and extra vinegar on top. Hot sauce and hot pepper juice are also great additions. And greens with a side of cornbread is a family favorite!
Tip: you may not be able to fit them all in at once. If this is the case, put as many in as you can and put the top on them. Greens cook down, so after a few minutes you will be able to add the rest.
Tip: For best results start your stove temperature on high and then reduce heat after boiling.