Ingredients

• 1 (1 to 1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, butterflied and pounded slightly to an even thickness between sheets of plastic wrap
• Southern Cooked Greens, recipe below
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Red Beans, recipe follows
• Rice, recipe follows
• Chopped green onions, garnish
• Chopped parsley, garnish
• Hot cornbread, accompaniment

Directions

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Southern Cooked Greens:

1/4 pound bacon, diced

1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onions

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar

1 pound mustard, kale, or collard greens, stems removed and well rinsed

1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

3/4 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons beer

2 teaspoons molasses

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet or saute pan, fry the bacon, stirring, over medium-high heat until crisp, 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and cook, stirring, until starting to wilt, about 6 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Yield: about 2 cups

White Rice:

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups long-grain white rice

2 teaspoons butter

1 bay leaf

In a small saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the rice, butter, and bay leaf and reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover, remove the bay leaf, and fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Red Beans:

1/2 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted

1 tablespoon bacon grease or vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped tasso or ham

6 ounces sausage, removed from casings and crumbled or chopped

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

3 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 medium ham hock

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic

Chicken stock or water

Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and sausage and cook, stirring, until cooked through and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Add the onions and bell peppers to the fat remaining in the pot. Season with the pepper and cayenne and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and ham hock, and cook, stirring, to brown the ham hock, 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and enough stock or water to cover by 1 1/2 inches, stir well, and bring to a boil. Return the tasso and sausage to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more stock or water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)

Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve.