NC BBQ Dim Sum: Potlikker Soup with Collard Greens Wontons

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One of the coolest parts of a CSA is discovering new veggies.  Collard greens, while fairly common in southern dishes, were something I never had picked up before.  Spinach is in my wheelhouse, and leafy greens had bitten me in the past.  Curse you arugula; that's waaaaay too bitter for me.  So when collards started showing up, it was a new challenge to find recipes that weren't just using them as sandwich/wrap alternatives.  While trying to replace bread is not a great way to get into my good graces, collards redeemed themselves and may have even pushed past spinach with this recipe.  I don't prefer soup, but I finished every drop of the leftover broth.  The extra nutritional value is just a bonus on top of the tangy, savory taste.

Ingredients  Based on Southern Style Collard Greens from Southern Living (I made 1/2 a serving)
6 oz salted pork belly finely chopped
1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 - 1.5, 32oz container chicken broth
1.5lb collards washed and trimmed.  Cut into ribbons.
1/6 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 + 1/8 tsp pepper
46 wonton wrappers

Heat a large stock pan over high heat.  Cook pork belly over heat until browned.  Remove from heat; add sweet onion and garlic cloves.  Cook until soft.  Add back pork belly.

Deglaze pan with chicken broth.  Add all the ingredients except the wrappers.

Put lid on pot.  Let cook for 3 hours until soft.  Check the liquid level and add some water if it gets too low.

Take off heat and strain the solids from the liquid reserving all the liquid.  This is the soup!  Let the greens cool a bit.

Time for some wonton folding!  I followed the tutorial from the Kitchn.  I used the soup to wet the edges of the wonton wrapper for an extra vinegar punch.

This might take awhile.  In the meantime, boil some water to cook the wontons.  You might alternatively want to boil the soup and cook the wontons there.  I didn't want to lose more liquid.

I couldn't wait and had a bowl of soup while boiling wontons. Sorry, not sorry.

Cook in batches; give the wontons some room in the pot.  Boil for about 5 minutes.

There are about 4 in the pot here.

Strain out and add to the soup.  Enjoy!  This is amazing reheated if it lasts that long; I was excited every day I had this for lunch.

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NC BBQ Dim Sum: The Menu

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Let's get one thing straight before we keep going here: Eastern NC BBQ is the best on the planet.

For real.  It's the vinegar.  There's nothing better than that tang.  The love of tangy flavors can even be found across the globe in the frequently used rice vinegar of many Asian dishes.  Seems like everyone needs more of that flavor!  And in bite-sized form.  I'm up for a global potluck whenever you are.  Seriously, who's bringing dessert?

I guess that explains the popularity of fusion cuisine.  And the next flavors in the reactor are dim sum and eastern North Carolina style barbecue.  We've got breakfast/brunch + lunch/dinner, with the required dose of vinegar and small dishes.

I'll be breaking these dishes into a few different posts so you don't get overwhelmed by all the different options.  There are a lot of different possibilities for the southern-to-dim-sum conversion.  There might be a few barbecue dishes that appear in multiple forms; I don't think that's a bad thing!  The more the merrier around the table right?  And it definitely increases your chance to grab something you like!

The Starting Menu as shown above:
Eastern NC BBQ Buns
Eastern-Style Cole Slaw Baked Egg Rolls
Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans
Potlikker Soup with Collard Greens Wontons
Banana Pudding Tartlets
Sweet Tea
Cackalacky Cheerwine Sauce - can also sub in the Original

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Quick Veggie Dip

Sometimes you find out the day of you're hosting a party.  At moments like that you've got to bust out your best Martha and set a good spread for your guests.

Money is on the potato skins going first
<http://blog.tribridgeresidential.com/around-town/throw-an-amazing-super-bowl-party-in-your-apartment/>

While napkin folding isn't always required, think like the Nationals and keep some clutch players in reserve.  Essentials you say?

Like the guy with the best celebration face.
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/nationals-journal/wp/2012/10/23/nationals-season-in-review-best-comeback/>

Luckily you can pull together a great dip with a few things on quick reserve.  Sour cream, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese melted alone makes a good 3 cheese dip.  For more advanced rush orders, it's good to keep packets of "recipe essentials" around that can normally be used to flavor crock pot dishes or instant soups.  These can also very effectively flavor the 3 cheeses mentioned above.  For this dip, I went veggie and barring more time, could have sprinkled in bacon bits.  Because everything's better with bacon bits.

Ingredients
1 cup spinach
1 packet dry veggie mix (I used Knorr's Vegetable Mix)
2 cups of sour cream
2-3 tbsp of dressing (used Bacon Onion Ranch.  Everything's better with bacon)
2 tbsp bacon bits (optional)

Pour the sour cream into a small serving bowl.  The bonus of this recipe is it's also a one-bowl cleanup.  Yes, I know, extra puntos. Add the packet of veggie mix.

If the doorbell rang, stop here

Mix well.  Chop the spinach into fine pieces.  I find it easy to use kitchen shears when cutting up spinach for these types of dishes

You can pick out ones to cut again when they're in the bowl

Mix well.  Add dressing.  After adding the initial amount, you might want to add more for taste purposes.  Don't go over 3 tbsp because it's a complement flavor to the veggies.  If you have to add dressing to your dressing, then you might want to consider queso for your emergency dish

Because veggies taste better with dressing.

Add the bacon bits or other optional things (like finely chopped sunflower seeds) and stir.  Chill for as long as you need; 30 minutes to and hour is great if you have the time.  Otherwise, it works fresh from the kitchen.  Serve with chips and you've got a dish no one would have guessed you just planned out the afternoon of.

Strong Serving Suggestion ;)

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