What is better than Greens and Beans?

That was the question I asked Bob when we got in tonight. The answer of course, is Greens and Beans with Bacon!

This isn't really a recipe as such, more a general "how to do this" guideline. I'm no expert on making greens and beans but the times I've made them, they've come out delicious.

I started with good quality bacon from Penn's Corner Farmstand, one of my favorite places to get food. I had about five pieces, I cut them into chunks and cooked them until they were just starting to crisp, then added a generous spoonful of hot pickled garlic.



Mmmmm, hot pickled garlic. One of my basic food groups. I have no idea how I survived half a century without this stuff, but it is the bomb-diggity, let me tell you.




The greens are the last of our homegrown collards. Look at this magnificent leaf. The collards were far and away the most successful thing from our garden this year. I will definitely be planting them again, probably more of them, because they did way better than anything else. I wish there were more for this meal but we will enjoy them.



Wash and trim the greens as necessary and add to the pot with the bacon and garlic. Normally I would have cut up an onion or shallot and put it in but I forgot. So I added about a tablespoon of dry minced onion. I will report to the foodie police after we eat.

Another essential in my kitchen is unsalted vegetable broth. It is just so useful. I use the boxed kind from Kitchen Essentials and it's delicious. I use a fair amount of soup bases and stocks in my cooking because I do work a full time job and a good quality stock or base can really punch up a meal. Anyway, this stuff is a staple.



I covered the greens and cooked them until they started to wilt, then added a can of Cannellini beans.



Had to add some more stock at this point because for some reason, collard greens drink stock. I don't know why. Chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, most kale (lacinto kale excepted) all give off stock. Collards and Lacinto Kale drink it. Anyway. Cook it until the greens are tender enough to eat then add a splash of balsamic vinegar and a little red pepper flake IF you want it. I left out the red pepper flake this time.



Then eat it! I like a nice crusty bread with it to sop up all that yummy juice.