Smoky Braised Greens with Black-Eyed Peas  

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Serves 4 • Cooking Time 7 to 8 hours on Low or 4 to 5 hours on High • Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Kale is often paired with black-eyed peas in Southern cooking. For our slow-cooker version of this dish, we used canned peas with our greens to create a hearty dish without a lot of extra hassle. Generally, this combo of kale and peas features smoky pork, but to keep things healthy, we opted to used smoked paprika instead, which gave our greens and peas surprising meaty depth and complexity. For a final touch before serving, we added a small amount of butter and sherry vinegar to tie together the flavors of the greens and black-eyed peas. Spraying the slow cooker with vegetable oil spray prevents the leafy greens from sticking to the side of the slow cooker and burning. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1	onion, chopped fine
3	garlic cloves, minced
2	teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
1½	teaspoons smoked paprika
1	teaspoon canola oil
1	(15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed
1½	cups water
	Salt and pepper
2	pounds kale, stemmed and sliced into 1-inch-wide strips
1	tablespoon unsalted butter
2	teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus extra for seasoning

1. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Microwave onion, garlic, thyme, paprika, and oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in peas, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

2. Microwave half of kale in covered bowl until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in remaining kale, cover, and cook until kale is tender, 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high.

3. Stir in butter and vinegar and season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste. Serve. (Braised greens can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours.)

Per serving:
Cal 170
Fat 6g
Sat Fat 2g
Chol 10mg
Carb 24g
Protein 9g
Fiber 8g
Sodium 400mg