Collard Greens and Pork

Today, I cooked some collards that thrilled my beloved's heart. I want to share this easy recipe with you.

Place some sweet potatoes in a small slow cooker to cook while you're preparing the collards. Select two bunches of collards from the produce section. I found some that were tender, full bunches with small leaves.

Here are the easy steps to prepare your collard greens. Rinse them in soda or salt water. Wash the greens until there is no grit. On a cutting board, slice out the main stem of each leaf. If you get a rhythm going to preparing the leaves, the process will go quickly. Grab a handful of leaves and roll them loosely. The roll will be about the size of a cigar. Cut vertically down this roll and slice it with a sharp knife on the cutting board in ribbons. Keep going with the quick slicing.

In the mean time brown in a skillet:

1 pound ground pork.

Let the pork cool and rinse it in a colander to remove excess grease.

You need a large pot such as a soup pot with a see-through lid. Place into the pot:

2 tablespoons oil (We like mixed olive and canola oil.)
The trimmed collard greens (They'll cook down.)

Stir-fry the greens. Cover and cook them 6-10 minutes at high heat. They will make their own liquid. Add:

The meat
1 can tomatoes and green chilies
A shake of season salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon savory
1 cup water

Lower the heat to the lowest setting possible and simmer the collard greens until they are almost tender. Don't overcook the collard greens. You don't want them to be mushy.

Make some cornbread following the recipe on Aunt Jeremiah's cornmeal.

This is a great meal with the collards as a main dish.