This recipe did have a few things going for it. It was from Deborah Madison, a chef well known for her work with vegetables. It contained that 'b' ingredient - bacon. If it was really bad, I could at least pick out the bacon. And finally, I had collard greens in the garden. I could afford to 'mess up' a few.
Collards with PotatoesServes 4.
Ingredients:
2 bunches collard greens or a mixture of collards and kale
3 medium potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 or 4 slices of bacon, diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Hot pepper sauce or vinegar for the table
Directions:
1. Remove the tough center stem. Slice greens crosswise into ½-inch strips. Wash in several changes of water. Drain. Set aside. (This can be done ahead of time. Refrigerate until ready to cook.)
2. Wash potatoes and cut into about 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
3. Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil. Add about 2 teaspoons of salt. Add greens and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes. (This will change depending on the toughness of your greens and how tender you like your greens.) Add potatoes and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Pour out all but one tablespoon fat. Add the olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute.
5. Drain greens and potatoes. Add to onion mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Stir occasionally. Cook until water evaporates. Add bacon. Taste and re-season, if necessary.
Final Thoughts
It was good! I was pleasantly surprised. As I tell my students, keep an open mind. You won't know if you like it until you have tried it.
