collard greens

Method

Wash the collard greens thoroughly and remove the thick centre stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Place the ham hock in a large pot with the chicken stock and bring to a boil, skimming any impurities from the surface. Add the diced onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper, then simmer for 20 minutes to develop the base flavour. Add the chopped collard greens in batches, stirring to wilt them into the pot as they reduce in volume. Continue simmering for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the greens are very tender and the stock has taken on a deep, rich flavour from the ham. Stir in the apple cider vinegar at the end and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, with a ladle of the cooking liquid spooned over each portion.