Regional Side Dishes For Your Holiday Table - Part 5 - The South-East

Greetings VinoVossers!

One aspect of wine that makes it so enjoyable to explore is the sheer variety that it offers. In a similar way, one of the best things about the holiday season dinner table is the cornucopia of food on offer. In fact, for some the side dishes are a bigger draw than the traditional turkey or ham. To ensure that you and your loved ones get maximum enjoyment out of this holiday season, Team VinoVoss has put together a collection of side dish classics from across the USA so you can find something new to add to your side dish rotation this year. This is our fifth installment but you can find links to all of them below.

New England: New England Cornbread Stuffing

Mid-East: Mid-East Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows

Great Lakes: Great Lakes Green Bean Casserole

Plains: Plains Wild Rice Pilaf

South-East: Southeast Collard Greens

South-West: Chilli Cheese Dinner Rolls

Rocky Mountains: Rocky Mountain Butternut Squash Soup

Pacific West: Pacific West Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic Glaze

Explore a range and side dishes to compliment your main course this holiday season, and matching wines, with VinoVoss (Photo: Midjourney)

Collard greens are deeply rooted in food traditions across the South, particularly in the Southeast region. Introduced to the United States by enslaved African peoples, collard greens have become an essential part of Southern soul food year round.

Collard greens make for a versatile holiday season side dish, these slow-cooked greens can be left on their own or flavored with smoked meats, like ham hocks or bacon but you could also smoke a turkey leg and use that to underscore the season. Let this staple of large southern gatherings grace your table this November and December.

Try this classic of the Southeast for yourself.

Collard Greens Recipe

Servings: 8Calories: 180 per serving

Ingredients:

• Collard greens (washed, stems removed, and chopped): 2 lbs (900g)
• Ham hock (or smoked turkey leg): 1 (about 450g)
• Bacon (chopped): 4 slices (about 100g)
• Onion (finely chopped): 1 large (about 150g)
• Garlic (minced): 3 cloves
• Chicken broth: 6 cups (1.4 liters)
• Apple cider vinegar: 1 tablespoon (15ml)
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon (5g)
• Red pepper flakes: ½ teaspoon (optional, 2.5g)
• Salt: 1 teaspoon (5g)
• Black pepper: ½ teaspoon (2.5g)

Instructions:

Step 1: Cook the bacon and ham hock:

• In a large pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set it aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
• Add the ham hock to the pot and brown it on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 2: Sauté the onions and garlic:

• Add the onions to the pot with the ham hock, cooking them in the bacon fat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Step 3: Add the greens and broth:

• Pour in the chicken broth, then add the chopped collard greens a little at a time, stirring as you go. Once all the greens are in, add the apple cider vinegar, sugar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

Step 4: Simmer:

• Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the greens are tender, and the ham hock falls apart. Check occasionally and stir. If needed, add more broth.

Final Step: Finish and serve:

• Remove the ham hock, shred the meat, and stir it back into the greens along with the crispy bacon bits. Serve the collard greens warm, preferably with cornbread.

Château Ferran Pessac-Léognan Blanc 2020

3.8(22)

Not available

Being a chef is thirsty work and if you like the idea of experimenting with a little food and wine pairing as you labor away in the kitchen consider trying some of these collard greens with a glass of oaked Sauvignon Blanc where the herbaceous freshness of the green pairs well with Sauvignon Blanc while the oak matches the smoked accent of the ham hock or bacon.

Enjoy!

Matthew Cocks