Collards with red beans

POT LUCK: Eat plenty of greens on New Year's Day with hearty vegan collards and red beans. Photo by Katherine Brooks

From The Southern Harvest Cookbook: Recipes Celebrating Four Seasons by Cathy Cleary, to be released from Arcadia Publishing in January

Serves 6-8

10 cups water
2 cups dried red kidney beans
2 teaspoons salt
1 large bunch (1½ pounds) collards
1½ cups diced onion (1 medium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Hot sauce to taste

Combine water, beans and salt in a large pot and bring to a slow simmer. Simmer, covered, 1 hour. Wash collards well and cut off stems that extend below the leaf. Slice stems thinly, and coarsely chop remaining leaves. Add collards and remaining ingredients to the pot and simmer covered one more hour or until beans are tender. Check occasionally and add a bit more water if needed to keep the beans covered in liquid. Serve with cornbread or rice to soak up the “potlikker.” Leftovers freeze great.

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