Recipe: Beans, Greens, and Gravy on Cornbread

Beans, Greens, and Gravy on Cornbread
alt.cooking.chien/Bette E. (2000)

3 cups pre soaked beans of choice
1/2 cup oil, lard or clean bacon grease
1/2 cup flour
2 medium onions sliced thin
1 stalk celery, chopped small
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
(No salt as ham hocks have enough)
2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
2 quarts chicken stock,?white wine or water
4 smoked ham hocks

GREENS:
2 bunches each: collard and mustard greens
1 additional cup water

Cornbread
Red Hot Sauce (opt. but great)

1. In a (8 quart) medium hot pot, combine grease and flour and stir till smooth; cook till light brown, about 8 minutes.

2. Add onions, celery, salt, pepper, garlic, stock, beans and ham hocks. Raise heat to boil; lower heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, 2 1/2 hours or so, Till beans are tender and hocks are done.

3. While beans and meat are cooking, go through the greens: Wash off any dirt and sand in water, throw out wilted leaves, and cut stems out as they are tough and will not cook.

4. When beans and hocks are done add the cleaned greens and the cup of water and stir gently, to mix. Cook till greens are tender and gravy is thick, about 30 to 45 minutes.

5. Spoon cooked mixture over cornbread with ham-hock on the side (or remove fat from hocks, and leave only the meat in the pot with the beans and greens).

6. Sprinkle a few drops of Red Hot Sauce on top and chow down.