Saints win!!! In the parallel universe in which NFL refereeing is not corrupt, we are celebrating an amazing victory today. Regardless, New Orleans celebrates. This is the lesson of Mardi Gras. What an amazing celebration we had today while boycotting the Superbowl!
Our day began with a celebratory breakfast with The Invisible Chef’s Funfetti pancakes, and waffles drizzled in Blackberry Patch syrup, which is SO delicious, especially the blackberry flavor.
We snacked on Mushroom Jerky, enjoying most the zesty thai flavor.
We drank Wonder Drink Ginger Peach kombucha. Crisp and refreshing.
Then we cooked up the collards which are growing like wild shrubs in the backyard, and we ate ramen.
What Superbowl? NFL, we will care when you do to keep it fair. Meanwhile, we keep our ways Southern and genteel.
Collard Greens Ramen
Adapted from Food and Wine
1 (1 1/2-pound) bunch collard greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 bacon slices
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound smoked ham hocks, at room temperature
1/4 cup (2 ounces) bourbon or other whiskey
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
8 cups cold water
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
12 ounces uncooked instant ramen noodles, cooked
4 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved
8 scallions, thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 teaspoons shichimi togarashi
Using a sharp knife, remove stems from collard greens. Cut leaves into 2-inch squares (about 14 cups), and rinse in cold water.
Heat olive oil in a 4-quart stockpot over medium. Add bacon; cook until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, reserving drippings in pot. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
Add onions and garlic to hot drippings in pot, and cook over medium, stirring often, until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Add ham hocks, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes, turning ham hocks every 45 seconds. Add bourbon and vinegar, and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits on bottom of pot, until liquid is reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Add 8 cups cold water; bring to a simmer.
Add salt and pepper to soup. Add collards in large handfuls, stirring each addition until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes, before adding next handful. Return to a simmer; cover and cook until collards are tender, about 1 hour.
Remove ham hocks; cool slightly. Pull meat from bones, and chop meat. Discard bones and skin.
Divide soy sauce evenly among 4 serving bowls. Ladle 1 1/4 cups liquid from cooked collards into each bowl. Divide noodles evenly among 4 bowls, and stir noodles twice in broth to combine.
Top bowls evenly with ham hock meat, collards, eggs, bacon, scallions, lime wedges, and shichimi togarashi.
Collards are a food we eat to signal or summon prosperity. Saints, next year we are excited to support your rightful pursuit of greatness. And we celebrate this year that the Superbowl was ours in our own hearts, the year we became as blind to the big day as the ref was on that missed call.