Now, if you too are a fan of Stephen Sondheim and are familiar with the musical Into the Woods, then you’ve heard of another woman (actually a witch) who loves her greens as much as I do. Now I don’t have the power to make life miserable for unsuspecting thieves stealing greens out of my garden. But I do have the power to help you produce a dish of greens that even the most greens phobic person might actually enjoy. And ever so simple to prepare. Actually, the preparation could not be easier. A bit of time is required for chopping veggies, but even the most novice of cooks should have no problem turning out this Southern classic.

And I’m telling you true, this is a vegetable dish that is just chock full of vitamins (such as vitamins A, C, and K and folate) and minerals (such as iron and calcium). Greens are also a great source of fiber. And since our bodies need a little dietary fat to absorb some of the vitamins found in dark green leafy vegetables, the olive oil and small amount of fat from the pork shank do the job nicely. (Of course the shank and olive oil also provide flavor. So a win/win situation.)

So a couple of days ago when I made my pot of greens, it was mainly because I had greens that either needed to be eaten or tossed. And I absolutely hate to toss food. I had a big bunch of beet greens, 2 types of kale (common curly kale from our garden and lacinato kale from our farm box) and a couple handfuls of baby spinach. I already had a recipe for collard greens that I love (Collard Greens with Smocked Pork Hocks). But I wanted to see if I could use a mixture of greens, none of which were collard greens. BTW, collard greens are the most commonly used greens in Southern braises and stews. So I took my collard greens recipe, changed things up a bit, and went from there.

Well, after tasting this mixture of greens, I can’t imagine ever again finding the necessity to stick to just one kind of greens. For me now, it’s bring them all on! The greater variety the better!

So if you too would like to feed your family a vegetable dish that is so darned healthy as to actually make you feel giddy, this is the recipe for you.

However, in all honesty, my children would probably have turned their noses up at this dish if I had tried to feed it to them when they were young. They ate a wide variety of foods, some that even surprised me, but they still were, after all, typical kids. So I can’t promise you that your young children will fall down on their knees thanking you for feeding them this wonderfully healthy and flavorful dish. Quite to the contrary I would suspect. But if your family consists of adults, I say go for it!

As always, stay healthy, cook up a storm, and be the person your dog thinks you are. Peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. diced yellow onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. low-sodium vegetable broth 

freshly ground black pepper 

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or less if semi-spicy is a problem for you)

1 sm. smoked pork shank/hock 

12-16 c. (loosely packed) mixed greens (collard, mustard, turnip, beet, chard, spinach, kale, etc.)

sherry vinegar, for sprinkling, opt.

Heat the olive oil in a large covered Dutch oven or heavy pan. Sauté the onion over medium heat until almost tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.  

Add the vegetable broth, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Add the smoked shank, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for an hour.

Add the greens. (They will wilt down as they cook,)

Simmer for 45 minutes. Do not boil. Add more vegetable broth if needed. May need more time, but be sure to check after 45 minutes. When done, greens will be dark green, tender, and will not have a raw taste.

Remove shank from pot, allow to cool, and remove the meat discarding as much fat and sinew as possible. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. Bring the meat and greens back to a boil when ready to serve. Adjust seasoning.

Serve in individual small bowls including some of the liquid. The liquid, often called pot liquor or potlikker, is possibly the best part of this whole wonderful dish. Pass the sherry vinegar.