Elwoods Ham Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound Virginia ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 large onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches collard greens (about 1 pound), stems discarded, washed, and roughly chopped
• 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes with juice, roughly chopped
• 7 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock
• 2 cups homemade or low-sodium canned beef stock
• 8 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• Hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)