This recipe for Collard Green and White Bean Gratin comes from Frank Stitt, a chef who introduced Alabama to French and Italian flavors through his four Birmingham restaurants. This dish combines Southern collards and ham-hocks with Italian Parmigiano, cannellini beans, rosemary, and olive oil into a gratin that is the best of both worlds. More

How's this for a crisper confession? If I hadn't cooked this vegetable myself, I don't think I could have identified it. At least not right away. If you're used to collard greens braised to the point of near-extinction (and believe me, I like them that way, too, so no hard feelings), you'll be surprised by what else they can do. More

Black cardamom imparts a smokey, camphorous flavor to foods, which I like to use as a subtler substitute for other smoked ingredients. While I realize that for most people who do so, having too many smoked pig parts in their... More

Bean and hominy gratin isn't quite as tempting as macaroni and cheese, but it's more nutritious (and, if you start with canned hominy and beans, even easier to make). More

Who knew that a spicy lamb sausage from northern Africa would get along so well with collard greens, a staple of Southern soul food? Knowing that sausages and greens are a natural combination, I trusted this recipe from Epicurious.com, which cooks the greens quickly by blanching then braising them with some of the cooking liquid, rather than the long, slow preparation I'm familiar with. More

[Photograph: Caroline Russock] Sautéed greens are a dish that rarely requires a recipe. No matter what green you have on hand, the process is relatively similar: Heat oil or butter, allium of your choice (onions, garlic, and shallots are popular... More

©iStockphoto.com/Suzifoo People don’t eat collard greens often enough, probably because they just haven’t tried them—they look deceptively old-fashioned and limp, like something on offer at a depressing cafeteria or prepared by your grandmother who isn’t such a good cook. When... More