Recipe: Greens New South Style (using miso, sesame oil and Chipotle pepper)

GREENS NEW SOUTH STYLE

"Though I often simply stir-fry my greens quickly with garlic and oil, here's what I do when I want them cooked slowly, soulfully, and semi-Southernly. The improbable-sounding Asian and Southwestern ingredients give them meaty, smoky notes, yet keep them vegetarian and healthful. The finished greens are every bit as delectable as the classic."

4 tablespoons peanut oil or other mild vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
5 garlic cloves, 3 chopped, 2 left whole
1 quart water
1/4 to 1/2 dried Chipotle pepper, broken in half
1 1/2 pounds greens (turnip greens, mustard greens, beet greens, collard greens, kale, chard, or a combination)
1 heaping tablespoon dark miso
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
salt and freshly cracked pepper
FOR SERVING:
Any nonsweet cornbread
Washed and trimmed scallions or sliced raw onion
Hot sauce (such as Tabasco), or cider vinegar in a cruet

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid (a Dutch oven is ideal). Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring often.

Lower the heat slightly and add the chopped garlic. Saute for 2 minutes more, then add 1 quart water and the chipotle pepper (to taste). Lower the heat and simmer, half-covered, for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash the greens thoroughly in several changes of water and with a couple of rinses; greens are notorious concealers of dirt and grit. Using a sharp knife, cut out any especially thick or tough stems, then tear or cut the greens into bite-size pieces.

Stir the greens down into the simmering vegetable liquid. Greens are bulky, but they cook down quickly; you'll do several batches. When as many greens as possible are in the pot, add the whole garlic cloves, cover the pot, and let the greens cook down until you can add more. Once all the greens are in, lower the heat to a low simmer, cover, and let cook slowly for 1 hour.

Lift the lid. Stir in the miso and sesame oil, smushing the miso with a spoon. Cover; simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove the chipotle pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve in a bowl, with cornbread and scallions or sliced onions on the side, plus the hot sauce or vinegar, if using.

Makes 4-6 servings
Source: The Cornbread Gospels by Crescent Dragonwagon