[Insert collective gasp!]
I know, right!? Most people probably read it in high school, or maybe even junior high, but for some reason, I was never in a class that was assigned it. I still find that strange. I mean, when my youngest son saw the dvd case, he asked me if it was for Food 'n Flix...and then told me that they had watched this in school in 6th or 7th grade. I swear, I'm the only person who attended a public school within the U.S. that did not read or watch it!
It had always been on my "to-read (one day)" list, but just never made it to the top. I mean, I'd heard it referenced enough that I knew the basic story, but I'm happy to be able to say that I have now seen the film and read the book.
Instead I'll go ahead and get right into the food and the inspiration behind the recipe that I made. Since it's set during the Great Depression, food (or the lack of it) is a fairly central theme. We see the Finches, who never seem to be hurting for a good meal, most likely because Atticus makes a decent living as a lawyer. But we also see the Cunninghams, farmers that were hit hard by the times, who can't even afford lunch.
The book actually mentions a lot of classic Southern food by name, but the film is more about the visuals (including a pretty awesome ham costume). I was intrigued to see Walter Cunningham pour syrup (molasses) all over his roast beef and vegetables. Calpurnia's cornbread and biscuits (and crackling bread in the book) were always on the table. There was even mention of hickory nuts and angel food cake...plus milk and cookies. And, of course, Scout and Jem's friend is named Dill.
But I couldn't help but be inspired by the collards patch that pops up often (both in the movie and the book). When we first meet Dill in the movie, he's tucked among some huge collard greens. When the three kids are creeping up to the Radley house, and when Jem has to go back to retrieve his discarded pants, they have to go through the Radley's collard patch. Plus, you can see cooked greens on the dinner plates.
Well, collards just so happen to be my favorite greens of them all. Plus, I've been craving them something fierce lately, so a pot of slow-cooked, silky collard greens were what I brought to the table this month. While I probably should have flavored them with some ham or a ham bone as a nod to Scout's ham costume (and you can definitely do so), I used smoked turkey wings instead. But hey, they're still perfect for serving alongside a thick slice of ham.
Join us next month as we head into the kitchen with our host Kimberly of Coffee and Casseroles with her pick, Ghostbusters (2016).
For inspiration, check out the Food 'n Flix website (click on any of the roundups listed to see what participants have been inspired to make by the movie choice), all of my past Food 'n Flix posts, or my Food 'n Flix Pinterest board!
Yield: serves 4-6
Collard Greens w/ Smoked Turkey Wings
prep time: 20 MINScook time: 3 hour and 15 MINStotal time: 3 hours and 35 mins
Velvety slow cooked collard greens in a potlikker (pot liquor) flavored with smoked turkey wings make the perfect Southern inspired side dish.
INGREDIENTS:
- ~2 pounds smoked turkey wings (2 wings)
- 6 cups water (can use unsalted turkey or chicken stock, or a mix)
- 2 pounds collard greens (about 3 bunches), stemmed, chopped into 1" pieces, and rinsed well
- 3 tablespoons duck fat (can substitute rendered bacon fat or vegetable oil)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
- fine-grain salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar + more to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Tabasco (or your favorite hot sauce), to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Put turkey wings and 6 cups water into a large tall pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
- Add collard greens, fat, brown sugar, red chile flakes, and big pinch each of salt and pepper; stir. Raise heat and return to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until greens are tender, 2 - 2 1/4 hours.
- Remove the turkey wings from pot, then pull the meat and skin from the bones. Chop the meat and skin into small pieces, and discard the bones.
- Return meat and skin to the pot of and stir in the apple cider vinegar and butter. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed, and add Tabasco to taste.
- Spoon the collards and their liquor into bowls. Serve with corn bread on the side to soak up the potlikker (aka pot liquor, aka the flavorful cooking liquid that you don't want to waste!).
- Store completely cooled leftovers in a container with a lid in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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