Given my love for greens, there must be a Southerner in my ancestry. When my gardens are prolific with spinach, kale, and collards, I pull out a large pot and start the process. In the South, cooked greens rely on “pot licker” made with ham hocks. I have devised a method that delivers flavor without requiring a hock. This dish is particularly good served with cornbread. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that you can’t cover the pot when the greens are added, or the kale discolors.

A Mess of Greens 
Serves 4

3 slices of good-quality bacon, cut in quarters
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups water
12 cups combined washed and chopped greens: kale, mustard greens, chard, and no more than 2 cups spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Optional apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon, balsamic vinegar, Tabasco

Directions

1. Place bacon, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large pot. Sauté for about 4 minutes over medium heat until bacon renders some of its fat. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a steady boil. Boil until the water has evaporated to about 1½ cups, about 30 minutes. Watch it at the end so you do not boil away all the water.

   2. Add half the chopped greens and stir. When wilted, add the other half. If you are including spinach, do not add it until the end as it cooks within two minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Stir and cook the greens until tender, 10 to 15 minutes, adding spinach at the very end. Serve hot, using tongs or a slotted spoon, leaving excess liquid and onion chunks in the pot. Offer vinegar, lemon, and Tabasco to guests.

Photos: Lynn Donaldson