Collard Greens

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Greens are a direct part of African-Amercans' African heritage. Dishes using leafy greens abound in the cooking of the African Atlantic world. They turn up as a couve in Brazil, as a callaloo in the Caribbean, as sauce feuilles in French-speaking West Africa, and simply as greens in the southern United States. The African-American twist with greens is in the manner of cooking. We cook 'em long and slow —down to the proverbial "low gravy"— (but then again that was the way all vegetables were cooked in much of the past). The real innovation is in the eating: We savor not only the greens but also their cooking liquid or "pot likker," a rich source of vitamins and iron.

At Thanksgiving, rice stuffings are standard on many southern tables. This one, a combination of white rice and wild rice, gets more regional notes from collard greens, pecans and ham.

Greens boiled with pork have been part of the southern table since the beginning. Some of the flavorful cooking liquid, called pot likker, is spooned over the greens before serving.

Posole is a thick, hearty stew typically containing corn and pork that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. Since I wanted to make this recipe vegetarian anyway, I decided to take it in an entirely new direction. The dried cherries may seem a little odd at first, but they lend a pleasant sweet-tartness to the dish while the pecans take it a bit deeper into the South. In the United States, we call the dried posole "hominy."

(Gumbo with Mixed Greens and Red Beans) Louisiana's "gumbo z'herbes", from the French gumbo aux herbes, was developed in Roman Catholic communities as a meatless dish for Lent. Traditionally, the number of guests determines how many types of greens go into the pot, but, if you wish to use only a few greens, just increase their amounts to equal the total quantity called for. Red beans are added to make this gumbo a more complete vegetarian main course.

Danny Toma of Naples, Italy, writes: "As an expatriate southerner working in Italy, I created this recipe to combine my Mississippi roots with my temporary Italian home." This recipe makes a large quantity of pesto. Use half the pesto for 1 pound of cooked pasta and chill the rest in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

If you're from the South, you're probably used to collards cooked long and slow. What makes this simple, flavorful Brazilian dish unusual are greens that are finely sliced and barely cooked. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Although we call for canned black-eyed peas, you can use frozen peas or cook up a batch of dried ones.

The abundant use of leafy greens is one of the hallmarks of the food of the African continent in general. Here, the familiar collard green, which has become emblematic of African-American cooking, is given an Ethiopian twist in a dish that can be served either warm or at room temperature.

A long cooking time for collard greens is a southern tradition. We sliver ours, then sauté them only for 1 minute, which renders them crisp-tender but allows the greens to keep their color and full flavor.

As all southerners know, eating Hoppin' John—black-eyed peas and rice—on New Year's Day ensures good luck. But it is the collards, traditionally eaten alongside, that bring good fortune! An added bonus to cooking up a mess o' greens is the resultant pot liquor—the delicious, nutritious broth left in the bottom of the cooking pot or serving dish. It is usually served as an accompaniment to that last piece of corn bread.