Smoky Soul Stock

2 smoked ham hocks or smoked turkey wings (see Note)

2 medium onions, quartered

4 celery stalks, including leaves, halved

2 carrots, trimmed and quartered

2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

Greens and dumplings

1 1/2 quarts Smoky Soul Stock (above)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pound collard greens

2 small dried red chile peppers or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste (used 2t diamond in greens)

Black pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups coarsely ground cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt, to taste

In a large heavy stockpot, bring 3 quarts water, the smoked meat, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, until the flavors are well-blended, about 2 hours. The broth develops a stronger flavor the longer you let it simmer. Remove the meat from the broth. When cool enough to handle, pull it off the bones (discard the skin, fat, and bones). Chop the meat and reserve for another use. Use a fine-mesh sieve to strain the stock. Refrigerate the stock until the fat floats to the top. Use a slotted spoon to skim off the fat and discard. Store the stock tightly covered in the fridge or freezer.

Make the Collard Greens with Cornmeal Dumplings: In a saucepan, bring the stock, onion, and garlic to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer while preparing the greens.  Thoroughly wash the greens and trim away the stems, if desired. Discard the stems or chop small. Stack 2 or 3 leaves on a cutting board and roll tightly into a log. Slice the greens crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons. Place the greens and the chiles in the broth and return to a simmer. Cook, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours for very tender greens; you may cook them for less if you have young greens or prefer greens with more chew. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Spoon out about 1 cup of the potlikker (the cooking broth) and set aside.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the reserved potlikker, and heat to just below boiling. Remove the potlikker mixture from the heat and whisk half of it (1/2 cup) it into the dry ingredients, and more if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time (I needed almost the full cup to reach a thick batter consistency). Let stand 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, use wet fingertips (or in my case, a big scoop) to shape the dough into 6 dumplings.

During the last 15 minutes of the collards’ cooking time, carefully drop the cornmeal dumplings into the pot with the greens, making sure the dumplings rest in the potlikker. Cover the pot and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes.

• 3 lbs greens coarsely chopped
• 2 ham hocks
• 1 qt. water
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 med. onion chopped fine
• 2 Tbs red wine vinegar
• black pepper

Trim fat from ham hocks and set aside.  Put ham hocks in heavy saucepan and cover with water.  Add red pepper flakes and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Render some of the pork fat in a skillet, add onions and cook slowly until they begin to brown.  Drain and add to ham hock broth.  Simmer until meat begins to fall from bones.  Stir in the greens, cover and cook about 30 minutes stirring and lifting the greens occasionally.  Add vinegar and pepper to taste.  Put meat and greens on a serving plate and serve pot liquor in separate small bowls.  We use the nitrite-free ham hocks from New Seasons. We have also substituted smoked extra firm tofu for the ham hock with good results (you need to use olive oil to replace the ham fat) when we wanted a vegetarian alternative.

From Winter Harvest Cookbook by Lane Morgan.

• 1 medium onion
• 1 garlic clove
• a 4-ounce piece cooked ham
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound collard greens
• 1 cup chicken broth (8 fluid ounces)
• 3 cups water
• a 16-ounce can black-eyed peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Chop onion and garlic and cut ham into 1/4-inch dice. In a 3-quart saucepan cook onion, garlic, and ham in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is pale golden.  While onion mixture is cooking, discard stems and center ribs from collards and finely chop leaves. Add collards, broth, and water to onion mixture and simmer until collards are tender, about 20 minutes. Rinse and drain black-eyed peas. In a bowl mash half of peas with a fork. Stir mashed and whole peas into soup and simmer 5 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper and stir in vinegar.

From Gourmet December 1998.

Note:  Use any green variety of kale, collard, turnip or mustard greens or swiss chard.  Makes 3 quarts.

• 1 pound greens, rinsed and chopped
• 2 cups onions (1/2 lb)
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 pound Kielbasa (Polish) sausage, thinly sliced (it is easier to slice if it is slightly frozen) (I used some chicken sausage and it was yummy)
• 1 cup dry white wine (which I omitted since we do not drink alcohol)
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 2 cans Cannellini (white) beans ( I used 1 and 1/2 cups dry Adzuki beans and cooked them separately before adding to soup – I think most types of beans would work well)
• Pepper to taste

1. In 6 – 8 quart stock pot over medium-high heat, frequently stir onions, carrots, celery, oil, garlic, thyme, and sausage until sausage is browned, about 10 minutes

2. Add wine, broth, cooked beans, and greens.  Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the greens are tender (15 – 25 minutes).  Season with pepper.

• 1 1/4 lb collard greens, halved lengthwise and stems and center ribs discarded
• 3 slices bacon, finely chopped

Stack collard-leaf halves and roll crosswise into a cigar shape. Cut crosswise into very thin slices (no thicker than 3/4 inch) with a sharp knife.

Cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until crisp. Add collards, tossing to coat, and cook until just bright green, about 1 minute. Season with salt and serve immediately.

From Gourmet, January 2001.