Cooking for two is boring -- I want to cook for the entire blogosphere!

Thursday, December 7

Brazilian-Style Collard Greens

I have to direct your attention to this recipe from Epicurious. Ever since I had hoppin' john and mustard greens at my Southern aunt's house on new year's day 2006, I've been kind of obsessed with cooked greens. I'm always surprised at how good they taste. This recipe, which appears in other cookbooks as well, is a great alternative to the traditional stewed greens. It's a bit labor heavy, as you have to de-rib and slice all the greens, but it's not difficult in any way. I find collard greens much easier to wash and dry than lettuce, for instance.

For this recipe, since I don't eat meat, I followed the suggestion of the first reviewer and cooked the greens in olive oil. When they were done -- literally 90 seconds was all it took -- I added salt, pepper, and a dash of vinegar (traditional in cooked collard greens). Another recipe I read suggested adding smashed garlic cloves to the oil, which would be a great flavor compliment, but take care the garlic doesn't burn, as the cooking temp on this one is medium-high.

All in all, this would be a delicious compliment to a corn or tomato dish or (if you must...) short ribs. I scarfed them up in about 30 seconds.

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