Ingredients: Fresh green beans (1/2 pound per person, pre-snapped) Smoked Ham Hock (1 regular sized per 4-6 servings) Bay leaf (1 large leaf per 4 servings) All-purpose seasoning such as ‘Tony Chachere’s Original Seasoning’® or ‘Old Bay Seasoning’® to taste. (use about 1 teaspoon for 2 pounds beans and 6-8 small red potatoes) Fresh Red potatoes, the smaller the better. (2 per serving) Carrots; 1 regular sized carrot per person (optional, but definitely preferable) Small whole jalapeño pepper (optional, 1 pepper per 4-6 serving size pot) Instructions: Note: It’s all done to taste, just like our grandmothers did. Additional table salt is usually unnecessary as the all purpose seasoning and ham hock contain sufficient salt. If you don’t like hot peppers substitute black pepper for the jalapeño pepper, and add it about 10 minutes before the beans are done. Once you get everything boiling, taste a bit of the liquid, it should be too salty, as the potatoes will absorb the salt. Get the salt right early on ‘cuz it just ain’t the same if you add salt afterwards. Start by putting enough cold water to cover the beans and potatoes about an inch or so into a pot. Add ham hock. Bring to a rolling boil. Snap ends from beans, rinse well with cold water, set aside. Scrub potatoes well under cold water; do not peel the potatoes. Halve them only if they’re bigger than a golf ball. Scrub but don’t peel the carrots. Cut into chunks just about double bite size. Pierce jalapeño pepper with a knife about an inch or so lengthwise, but don’t dice it or cut it up. It can be removed later along with the bay leaf. Once the water has reached a rolling boil and the ham hock is giving up it’s tasty juice, throw everything into the pot. Return to a rolling boil and reduce heat to medium. (do your salt check about 10 minutes after this) Let it all cook, the slower the better, until about 90% of the water has evaporated. Using a long wooden spoon, smack the hands of everyone who wanders into the kitchen trying to steal a taste. (Trust me, they will!) Note: They’re always the first dish to disappear; everyone ALWAYS goes for seconds or thirds. Just ask your Grandmother. This is the real deal. Soul Food is all about cooking from the heart, and I’ve found that the best recipes have no measures. It’s all about taste! Enjoy!
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Posts tagged with 'greens'
North Carolina Collard Soup
Ingredients: 1 bunch collard greens (with out stems – chopped) 5 potatoes (cut and peeled) 1 can chicken soup or bullion cubes 2 onions (chopped) salt, pepper to taste precooked pieces of ham or sausage as desired Instructions: Put enough water in a large pot to boil all the ingredients. Add and cook greens, potatoes, soup (or cubes), onions and salt/pepper on stove for 40 minutes until the potatoes are soft. Then add ham pieces or tiny sausages and boil 5 more minutes. Serve with corn bread…delicious and full of warmth.
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Virginia’s Quick Greens
Ingredients: 1-2 bags of greens (whatever type you prefer) 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 3 hot peppers (chopped) 1/2 cup chopped onion pinch of sugar smoked meat (whatever you prefer for added flavor) chicken soup base (creamy) Instructions: Put washed greens in a pot. Pour vinegar over greens. Add hot peppers, onion, and sugar, allow to set. This opens the greens up so they will accept flavor and be tender. Mix chicken soup base and hot water together; to taste. Pour over greens. There should be enough liquid to at least cover the greens. Boil for 1 hour or until you feel the greens are done (nice and tender). Note: The key ingredient is the soup base.
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Collard, Mustard, Kale or Turnip Greens
Ingredients: 1 large bag of collard, kale, mustard or turnip greens, 1 package smoked turkey necks. You can also mix the greens if you like. Instructions: After rinsing turkey necks, add to large pot filled half way with water and let boil for 25-30 minutes. Add soul food seasoning to pot as accent to season the pot (enhance flavor). Pick stems from greens and wash several times in cold water until greens are clean (water is no longer dirty and greens are no longer gritty), cut greens up and place in boiling water. Allow greens to cook for an hour or until nice and tender. Serve with fried chicken and macaroni and cheese and you have good soul food eatin’.
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Basic Soul Food Collard Greens
Ingredients: 4-6 bunches of collard cleaned and steamed 5 slices of bacon 1 smoked ham hock 1 large chopped onion seasoning salt to taste 1 bunch of green onions (optional) black pepper to taste 7 cups of water Instructions: Lay collard greens on top of each other, (no more then 4 at a time) roll and then cut in half with a knife. Cut even smaller if you have large leaves. Line the bottom of a large stock pot with the bacon. Cook on medium heat until done, obtaining as much bacon grease as possible. Add the water to the stock pot and the grease and bring to a boil. Now add the 1/2 of the chopped onion, ham hock, pepper and salt to taste. Let mixture boil for 10 minutes. Add the collard greens, other half of the onions and more salt and pepper to taste if desired to the stock pot. Rapidly boil for 45 minutes. Reduce heat and let simmer for 4-6 hours. Serve with green onions.
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