Winter Greens With Bacon Butter Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the greens: Cut the tough stems out of the greens and discard. Stack the leaves, roll tightly crosswise and slice into 3/4-inch-wide ribbons. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with cold water and swish to remove grit. Transfer greens to a colander, cleaning them a second time if the water remaining in the bowl is visibly dirty.
• Cook 2 bacon slices in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Meanwhile, cut the remaining 2 bacon slices crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
• Add the 1/4-inch bacon strips to the hot bacon fat and cook, stirring, until the fat in the bacon strips starts to render, about 1 minute. Add the onion and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until golden brown around the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the stock, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer, 5 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium, add the greens, season with salt and pepper and stir until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Cover and cook until tender with a little bite, about 3 minutes.
• Uncover and add the beans and hot sauce. Stir until the beans are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among serving dishes and crumble the cooked bacon slices on top. Serve with more hot sauce.

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add milk in a stream, whisking, then add shallot, bay leaf, and peppercorns and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Strain béchamel sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and cover surface with parchment paper.
• Discard stems and center ribs from greens, then coarsely chop leaves.
• Cook lardons in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then pour off fat from pot and wipe clean.
• Heat remaining 1/2 stick butter in pot over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then cook onion, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Increase heat to medium-high, then stir in greens, 1 handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding next. Add béchamel, cream, garlic, red-pepper flakes, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring, until sauce coats greens and greens are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in lardons, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, then add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add the milk in a stream, whisking, then add the shallot, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Strain the béchamel sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and cover the surface with parchment.
• Discard the stems and center ribs from the greens, then coarsely chop the leaves.
• Cook the bacon in a wide 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then pour off the fat from the pot and wipe clean.
• Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the pot over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then cook the onion, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high, then stir in the greens, 1 handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding the next. Add the béchamel, cream, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring, until the sauce coats the greens and the greens are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the bacon, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• DO AHEAD
• The BÉCHAMEL SAUCE can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, its surface covered with parchment; stir before using. The greens can be chopped 1 day ahead and chilled in a large sealed bag.