Miss Lewis grew up with a tradition of cooking many types of greens in the same pot. In Alabama, I am sad to say, we were “segregationists” in this regard, cooking turnip greens almost exclusively, and always by themselves. In recent years, though, I’ve come to appreciate the wonderful flavor of different types of greens cooked together—cultivated and wild greens, “Southern” greens like turnip and mustard with more widely grown varieties like kale and chard.

The basic method given here can be followed for any combination of greens or just one type. (Collards, for instance, are best cooked separately, because they have a different texture and require considerably longer cooking time.) Most varieties of cultivated greens are widely available in supermarkets, and, increasingly, “wild” greens—such as cresses, pokeweed, rape, and purslane—can be found at farmers’ markets.

Greens should always be accompanied by some type of cornbread. And although they are delicious by themselves or simply moistened with some of the “pot likker,” many Southerners serve greens along with thinly sliced white or green onions or scallions, and crushed red pepper or liberal dashes of hot pepper vinegar.