Queenies Little Kingdom

…It’s cornbread & collard greens! I hear your groans from here. These are not your average boiled up greens! I mean it! These are special! Like knock your socks off good!

Here’s a peek–>

This is before they cooked down and turned dark green. I can’t even describe the yummy smell. It’s like going to Grandma’s! Okay, a southern Grannie! No lie.

Before you write me off here…let me convince you to at least give them a try. Someday, mm’k?

It will be life changing. You might even want to become full-time southern bumpkin! WE WEAR SHOES! 😉

C O L L A R D G R E E N S & H A M H O C K S
Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup bleached all-purpose flour
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (I used less)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (I left this out)
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
8 cups chicken stock
3 pounds ham hocks (about 4 medium-sized hocks)
2 bunches (about 2 1/4 pounds) each of collards and mustard greens, thoroughly washed, picked over for blemished leaves, and tough stems removed
1 cup water

Directions

STOCKING TIP: A roux is a mixture of oil and flour that, after being slowly cooked, is used to thicken mixtures such as soups and sauces. A blond roux is cooked until it is a pale golden color.

1. Combine the oil and flour in an 8-quart pot over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, to make a blond roux, about 8 minutes.

2. Add the onions, celery, salt, cayenne, bay leaves, garlic, stock and ham hocks. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the hocks are very tender, about 2 hours.

3. Add the greens, by the handful, until all of them are combined in the mixture. They will wilt. Add the water. Simmer until the greens are very tender and the mixture is thick, about 45 minutes.

4. Remove the bay leaves and serve warm. (I left mine in)

Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Recipe kuddos to [Emeril Legasse]

Do not be intimidated by making the roux. I’m not kidding when I say, these are so easy to prepare (first I typed “fix” because that’s what we call it when we cook something). We fix it! See, I told you….bumpkin.

My Sunday night meal was one of the best I’ve fed my family in a long time. If you make this recipe be sure to bake up a pan of cornbread. They clearly go hand-n-hand.

Let me know if you decide to make a pot. I’ll be out on the porch fannin’ flies. Teehee!