Poke Greens and Fried Spam

While my brother Ralph and I were out working today, I took the opportunity to pick some poke greens. For all ya'all that don't know what poke greens look like, here are some in the fence row behind my house.

You only pick the very top of the poke weed so it takes quite a few plants to make a "mess" of poke. I picked a Wal-Mart bag almost full and after I got them washed they all fit in a two-quart pot.

I boiled them for 15 minutes, drained the (green) water off, boiled them again for 15 minutes and drained the water off. This gets rid of the Vitamin A which can be toxic.

Then I "fried" the drained poke in bacon grease with just a little salt until it was real tender. Some folks like to fry it with onions, green onions, wild onions and eggs but I just like'em plain!

I pepper and salt the fried poke to taste and add a little hot pepper vinegar sauce. Some people just use plain cider vinegar.

The Spam...It has to be sliced just like Tami is slicing it below or...well it's just wrong....

You coat the slices in cornmeal and fry in oil until the outside is real crispy.

The fried Spam is best when it is made into a sandwich with just mustard. Tami had fixed baked potatoes to go with the poke and Spam.

The only caution about eating poke greens? Moderation... Eat too many of them and you'll get a fine case of the "Back-door trots"!