Gina: Some Southern greens benefit from long, slow cooking, but kale is best prepared as a speedy sauté. Shredding the kale allows it to cook even faster, keeping its bright color and abundant nutrients (calcium, vitamins A and C) intact. Adding bacon, onion, and the unexpected flavor of smoked Spanish paprika creates a spectacular side dish that just might steal the show from the main course. For a quick, satisfying dinner, you could also toss this sauté with whole-wheat pasta, and finish the dish with toasted pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8

　　2 1/2 pounds (about 4 bunches) kale, tough stems and center ribs cut off and discarded

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　4 strips thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

　　1 large onion, thinly sliced

　　4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

　　Generous pinch crushed red-pepper flakes

　　1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

　　1 cup Chicken Stock (page 28) or water

　　2 teaspoons sherry-wine vinegar

　　Kosher salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

Stack a few kale leaves and roll them lengthwise into a cigar shape. Cut the leaves crosswise into 1/4 inch wide strips with a sharp knife. Repeat with the remaining kale leaves. (See note.)

　　

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a wide 6 to 8 quart pot over moderate heat. Add the bacon, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned but still soft, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons of oil and fat from the pot, and then add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the kale, bacon, and smoked paprika to the pot, and cook, turning with tongs, until the kale is wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Add the stock or water and simmer, partially covered, until the leaves are just tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, and toss to combine; taste for seasonings, and add salt, pepper, or more vinegar as desired.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Large kale leaves are easier to cut in the manner described in this recipe. If all you can find are small leaves, just coarsely chop them.

　　Smoked Spanish paprika, also called pimentón, has an entirely different flavor from regular paprika. It is really, really smoky—and a little goes a long way in any dish.

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.