Mustard Greens

This is not the salad with feta and olives that most Americans know, but a version popular in the Greek countryside that typically includes a few wild greens foraged from the land. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Greens are a direct part of African-Amercans' African heritage. Dishes using leafy greens abound in the cooking of the African Atlantic world. They turn up as a couve in Brazil, as a callaloo in the Caribbean, as sauce feuilles in French-speaking West Africa, and simply as greens in the southern United States. The African-American twist with greens is in the manner of cooking. We cook 'em long and slow —down to the proverbial "low gravy"— (but then again that was the way all vegetables were cooked in much of the past). The real innovation is in the eating: We savor not only the greens but also their cooking liquid or "pot likker," a rich source of vitamins and iron.

Posole is a thick, hearty stew typically containing corn and pork that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. Since I wanted to make this recipe vegetarian anyway, I decided to take it in an entirely new direction. The dried cherries may seem a little odd at first, but they lend a pleasant sweet-tartness to the dish while the pecans take it a bit deeper into the South. In the United States, we call the dried posole "hominy."

Greens boiled with pork have been part of the southern table since the beginning. Some of the flavorful cooking liquid, called pot likker, is spooned over the greens before serving.

Pomegranate seeds are a colorful, tangy garnish for this salad. The season for pomegranates comes to an end by mid-February, so plan ahead and buy one now (they keep for several weeks in the refrigerator). Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe is very adaptable. You can use whatever quantities of mustard and dandelion greens and spinach you happen to have on hand—just keep the total amount of greens the same. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 50 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Mustard greens, increasingly common in supermarkets today, cook as quickly as fresh spinach. Their assertive taste is terrific here in a warming winter soup.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

If using young, small mustard greens, simply stir-fry as directed, omitting the water and additional cooking time.

If you can't find one type of the greens for this recipe, you can either increase the other two kinds proportionally or substitute kale and/or chard.

Freezing the meat for 30 minutes will make it easier to slice. Serve with a crisp, dry Riesling or beer.