What Can You Do With A Smoked Turkey Leg?

For years now I have been eyeing the smoked turkey legs, wrapped two to a package, at the DiPaola Farms stand at the Union Square market. I just could never envision myself doing anything except gnaw on them so I just ignored them. Then I read this and was led to believe that they could have a life beyond just being consumed Flintstone-style.

I picked up a package a few weeks ago and tonight they become an ingredient of our Southernish dinner, which was one of A.'s specialities back in his cooking days. Instead of his usual Black-eyed Peas, Collard Greens and rice. I added diced turkey, omitting the sinewy bits, to the peas. I tossed in the bone to add more flavor while it simmered.



Black-Eyed Peas, Collard Greens and Rice (4 large servings)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white rice
2 large onions, diced
2-3 squirts ketchup
fresh thyme
2 cans black-eyed peas
1 smoked turkey leg, meat diced (you can also use sausage, kielbasa etc.)
1 bunch collard greens, cleaned, stemmed and chopped.
2 tablespoons butter

1. Put rice on to boil.
2. Saute onion until golden. Add squirts of ketchup and stir. Add peas and turkey, thyme. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Steam greens with a small amount of water over low heat, for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain water and toss with salt and butter over low heat.
4. When rice is finished, everything else should be too!