Kamara's Pinto Beans and Greens

Kamara's Instructions:
The part of the south I'm from we cook turnip greens (and, pinto beans will follow greens recipe) as follows.
Fill a clean dish pan with cold water and lots of salt and soak the greens for awhile. The salt in the water kills any insects that are still on the greens. Then, wash greens thoroughly to remove any grit, especially on the underside of the leaves. I wash one leaf at a time. It takes longer but it's worth not getting a mouth full of grit. In the meantime, in a large pot, have large chunks of ham boiling in a 1/4 pot of water. (When I bake a large ham, I usually freeze the ends and last pieces we don't eat to use for cooking beans, greens,etc.) Greens can be chopped if you prefer -- I don't as they're going to cook down and we eat them so fast that it doesn't matter what size they are on the plate! As you get greens clean place in a colander to drain and when colander is full add to boiling water. They will cook down considerably.

When all greens have been added chop purple top turnips and add to top of greens. Cover and 'cook the daylights' out of them. When done, add salt to taste. (I never measure anything..after 42 years of marriage and raising 4 kids and now grandkids..everything is measured by eyesight.) Southern greens are cooked a very, very long time and are never just wilted. AND, PLEASE don't throw the pot liquor away..it is delicious!! I enjoy drinking it ..With our greens we serve fried potatoes with onions cooked in them, pinto beans, sliced red onion that is sliced very thin and has been chilled in fridge with ice cubes on top, cornbread and a big jug of sweetened iced tea usually drank from a fruit jar.

Southern Dried Beans
Sort and wash beans well. In a large pot (Dutch oven) boil large chunks of ham in half pot of water. After about 15 minutes add beans, stir and cover with lid slightly tilted. Cook pintos about 1 1/2 hours and add more water as needed. Great Northern, Limas and Black-eyed peas take less time to cook while Navy beans take longer. Dried beans should be soft when done and the broth should be slightly thickened. A pan of cornbread should always be on the table. Most southerners enjoy crumbled cornbread with pot liquor poured over it.

Shared by Kamara

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