This recipe shows the Appalachian way with greens. It’s really simple, though it requires attention and a careful eye. The springtime ended the months of want, when there were no fresh vegetables. As soon as they could be gathered, fresh greens like edible foraged lettuces, sprouts, and ramps (wild garlic)—here replaced by scallions (spring onions)—were incredibly welcome. —Michael Twitty
Note: This recipe calls for streaky bacon. Streaky bacon, also known as side bacon, comes from the pork belly and features long, alternating layers of fat and muscle, making it a more flavorful, crispier bacon cut.
recipe 
yields
Serves 4-6
6 slices bacon (streaky*)
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds leaf lettuce (romaine, Bibb, or black-seeded Simpson) or young greens (dandelion greens or watercress), torn into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
⅛ teaspoon salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Ingredients
steps
- Add bacon (streaky) to a cold cast-iron skillet and cook over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When cool enough to handle, crumble or chop.
- Add scallions to bacon fat in hot skillet and sauté until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Working in batches, add greens and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, adding more each time the previous batch shrinks in size. Carefully add vinegar (it will splatter), and stir quickly to coat greens. Gently toss and season with salt and black pepper. Top with reserved crumbled bacon.
Date Published: 10.07.25
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Recipe adapted from
RECIPES FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH © 2025 by Michael W. Twitty. Photography © 2025 by Nico Schinco. Reproduced by permission of Phaidon. All rights reserved.
