Some traditional Southern cooks swear you have to cook your collards all day long. This recipe has a great silky, tender texture and good bacony flavor, but you don’t have to quit your day job to make it. Collards also pair well with Double Orange Pork Chops (page 24) and Down-Home Pinto Beans and Ham Hocks (page 127).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
8 strips bacon (about 8 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium Vidalia onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 pounds collards, rinsed and drained, stems removed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Tabasco or other hot sauce to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until crisp. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes more, or until the onion is tender.
Step 2
Add 2 cups of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the collards and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until very soft. Season with the salt and Tabasco and serve.
[The Deen Bros. Take It Easy](http://astore.amazon.com/epistore-20/detail/0345513266) by Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Copyright © 2009 Jamie Deen, Bobby Deen, and Melissa Clark. Published by Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.
Jamie and Bobby Deen grew up in Georgia—first in Albany and then in Savannah—and, like many Southerners, they have always considered cooking and food a big part of their lives. When their mother, Paula Deen, started a sandwich delivery business in 1989, the boys took charge of deliveries. As the business grew into The Lady restaurant, they continued to help. Then, in 1996, the trio opened The Lady & Sons Restaurant to resounding success. They haven't looked back since. They regularly appear on ABC's Good Morning America and had their own Food Network show, Road Tasted.
Melissa Clark has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, and Real Simple and has collaborated on twenty-one books.
