Southern Style Greens

I mentioned in another post that I love greens, prepped southern style, which contrary to what most people think does not necessarily involve ham, bacon or any other meat.  I merely prepare them for cooking by taking out any big tough stems and cutting them into slivers.  Steam them until they are tender.  Drain any liquid off and pat them dry. They should be pretty wilted at this point.

In a big skillet (mine is cast iron, the best!) put about 3 tablespoons of butter (you can use coconut or olive oil if you are vegetarian but you won't get the exact same result) and a sprinkle of salt (salt to taste, of course) and a sprinkle of sugar.  Sugar will take away some of the bitterness of the greens but don't overdo it.  Let the butter melt and start to bubble a bit and toss in the greens. Stir until well seasoned and then lower heat to simmer and let the greens cook until they start to caramelize just a bit.  (You can adjust those three ingredients to your own taste but too much of a good thing won't end well. )  At this point, I add just about a teaspoon of vinegar and toss one last time.  I use vinegar that I steep with garlic cloves or hot peppers, but plain apple cider vinegar will do.

Almost any green can be cooked this way. Mustards will lose a lot of their pungency when you cook them this way, kales lose their bitterness. You can mix almost any type of greens to cook this way and they will be delicious.  

Greens that have grown larger (think big kale or collards) can be cooked this way, too but they need to be boiled, not steamed and you lose some of the nutrition that way.  If you do have larger leaves to use, try this method to prep them.  Cut out the big stems and veins, stack 3-4 leaves at a time and roll up like a big cigar. Take a sharp knife and slice on diagonally, so that you create thin ribbons of the leaves. This cutting method makes them cook a little quicker.