We first developed this recipe as a side for a vegetarian dish we were serving at Bayona. We wanted to create the traditional smoky pork flavor of southern greens without using pork. That’s when we thought about smoking the onions. The smokiness imparts a tremendously satisfying and “meaty” flavor, but if you want to prepare this dish in the real southern way, don’t hesitate to throw some bacon, ham, or salt pork in the pot. Also, we tend to cook ours a little drier (mainly for presentation, so it plates up neater), so if you want more pot liquor, add more water early on.

Ingredients

　　1 tablespoon olive oil or rendered bacon fat

　　1 medium raw onion and 1 medium smoked onion (see Smoked Vegetables, p. 293), diced

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　4–6 cups greens, such as mustard, turnip, or collard greens, stemmed, washed, and chopped

　　2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

　　Salt and pepper

　　Hot sauce

　　Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened but not brown. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Stir in the greens and cook over medium-high heat until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add about 1 cup of water, cover the pan, and cook 20 minutes more. Remove the cover and turn up the heat to evaporate some of the liquid. Taste the greens: if they’re slightly bitter, reduce the heat and cook a little longer. When the greens taste nice and sweet, sprinkle with vinegar and season to taste with salt, pepper, and hot sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

　　Cooks' Note

　　When it comes to selecting greens, a mixture of two or three varieties is the most delicious. Feel free to include red chard, beet tops, kale, or other hearty greens in the mix. Whichever you choose, be sure to wash them thoroughly (we do it twice), as they tend to be sandy and even a little grit can spoil the finished product. My husband, Chip, swears by adding a bottle of beer and a pinch of sugar to the pot—your call.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.