Collard Greens

Collard greens are very overlooked in the North as they seem to be more of a Southern staple

That being said, we personally love them and as always we’re looking to change up the menu which means collards are perfect

I find these greens to be a great side with many foods and they are great as a substitute for spinach and kale in soups

Here I have a large bunch of collard greens that I’m rinsing in cold water, they usually have a lot of dirt and grit so make sure to clean them well

Pat excess water off the leaves with a paper towel

Remove the main stem by cutting along both sides

Repeat until all the stems have been removed

Stack the leaves on top of each other and roll them up then slice down the center

Then cut along the length

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil

Drop the collard greens in and blanch for 2-3 minutes

Immediately remove them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process

If we are talking about Southern inspired flavors, we are talking about some bacon!

We will need 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves and 4 slices of bacon

Peel and chop the onion, garlic and slice up the bacon

Lets get the bacon in a pan over medium heat

We are going to render this down for 3-4 minutes

Next we will add in the onion and garlic

One of my all time favorite smells in the kitchen is onions and bacon cooking together

What could be better?

I guess some garlic!

Let this cook 5-6 minutes or until the bacon is nicely browned and the onions are soft and translucent

Now lets add in the collard greens

Now it’s time to ramp up the flavor

We will need 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoons of Red Hot and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper

Add these ingredients to the collard greens

Stir everything together and bring to a low simmer

Cook 10-12 minutes or until slightly wilted but with a little chew left

This is how I prefer collard greens, you can cook them longer for a softer effect

Season with salt and pepper if needed and there you have it

A delicious and easy side!

Enjoy!!!

Simply Sundays! ~ Collard Greens

Servings: 4
Time: Prep 10 Min, Cook 25-30 Min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

1 bunch of collard greens

4 slices of bacon

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons of honey

1 tablespoon of red hot

1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

Directions

Rinse the collard greens in cold water, they usually have a lot of dirt and grit so make sure to clean them well. Remove the main stem by cutting along both sides. Repeat until all the stems have been removed

Stack the leaves on top of each other and roll them up then slice down the center. Then cut along the length

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, drop the collard greens in and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Immediately remove them to an ice bath to stop the cooking process

Peel and chop 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves and slice 4 strips of bacon. Add the bacon to a pan over medium heat. We are going to render this down for 3-4 minutes. Add in your onion and garlic and cook until tender. cook 5-6 minutes or until the bacon is nicely browned and the onions are soft and translucent

Add in the collard greens and 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of Red Hot and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and ground black pepper

Stir everything together and bring to a low simmer. Cook 10-12 minutes or until slightly wilted but with a little chew left. Season with salt and pepper as needed

Simply Bamboo Cutting Board

Architec Gripperwood Cutting Board

Lodge Cast Iron Pan