Traditional Foods...By A Master Chef
By Kathy Stroh, M.S., R.D.

One of the highlights of the Women’s Wellness, held on October 12, 2001, was the cooking session presented by Chef Victor Hendricks, Executive Chef at the Modern Maturity Center, in Dover. This year, Chef Victor focused on his tantalizing versions of two favorites, cooked greens and black-eyed peas. The dishes are mouth watering and easy to prepare, but are also very nutritious and economical.

Traditional foods were devised to satisfy these two needs and they have endured as staple dishes in many cuisines.

Chef Victor’s Collard Greens

• 12 pounds collard greens
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic
• pinch of black pepper
• beef base, to taste (optional)
• 3 ham hocks

Clean the greens and rinse at least 4 times. Take off lower stems; drain well. Keep stem close to leaf, for more flavor. Break leaves into quarters. Bring 2 gallons water to a boil. Add all ingredients, except greens, to water. When water comes back to a boil, add the greens. They may not all fit, at one time. Add more greens, as room allows. Turn to simmer and cook for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Cooking time depends on the quality and harvest time of the greens. Makes 5 (1 cup) servings. Serve as a side dish.

Collard Greens

One cup = 49 calories
5.3 grams of fiber
226 mg. Calcium

Great source of vitamins A&C
Available year-round from California
Also grown in Georgia, New Jersey & Texas

"Greens"

Other low calorie, high-fiber greens are:

• Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Turnip Greens
• Beet Greens
• Mustard Greens
  

Chef Victor’s Black-eyed peas

• 1 pound of dried peas
• 5 ounces chopped onion
• 4 ounces chopped celery
• 1 pound smoked turkey leg (with bone)
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• salt (to taste)

Soak the peas overnight. Next morning, remove the "floaters". Pour off the water. Add 2 quarts cold water to a large pot. Bring the peas to a boil. Turn down to simmer. Add all remaining ingredients, at once. Cook 1-1 1/2 hours. Serve as is, or over rice.

Makes 4-5 (1 cup) servings.

Black-eyed Peas

Black-eyed peas are an ancient crop that spread from central Africa and was brought to America around 1700. George Washington Carver promoted it as an excellent food, for man or beast. They are also known as cowpeas and are still used to feed cattle. For Southerners, however, the New Year starts with a bowl of black-eyed peas, for luck.

Black-eyed peas are full of protein, and fiber, but are very low in fat. Black-eyed peas and other legumes are an important source of phytochemicals, substances which seem to actively fight cancer and improve immune function.

One cup = 224 calories
14.5 grams protein
1.0 gram fat
11.0 grams fiber
40.0 mg. Calcium

Perfect!!

Eating black-eyed peas with greens is culinary perfection. The protein, fiber and phytochemicals of beans plus the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals of the greens is a traditional, powerhouse dish.