Oven-Braised Pork Ribs with Kale and Potatoes

From the garden

• 1 bunch kale, stems stripped, leaves sliced into ribbons · a large bunch, about 1 pound
• 1½ lb potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed

From the pantry

• 2½ lb country-style pork ribs, bone-in, patted dry · boneless work too; use 2 pounds
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Rub the ribs all over with the paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and plenty of pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high and brown the ribs in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until the paprika crust is dark and fragrant but not scorched. Set aside.
2. Lower the heat, add the onion with a pinch of salt, and cook 5 minutes until soft, scraping the pot. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and pepper flakes and stir 1 minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and let it reduce by half.
3. Return the ribs and any juices, add the stock (it should reach about halfway up the meat), cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise 1 1/4 hours.
4. Tuck the potatoes down into the liquid around the ribs, cover again, and cook 35–40 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the rib meat pulls from the bone with a fork.
5. Set the pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Pile in the kale, pushing it down into the juices, cover, and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring once, until the leaves are dark, tender, and glossy. Skim any excess fat from the surface, stir in the vinegar, remove the bay leaves, and taste for salt.
6. Serve in wide bowls: a rib or two, potatoes, a big tangle of kale, and a ladle of the braising liquid. Crusty bread on the side is traditional.