Basic Collard Greens Prep

I do recall a time when I barely knew what to do with collard greens, even though I grew up in the South. Basically they look huge and maybe a little intimidating to the uninitiated, but cook down a lot--one bunch could yield 3-6 servings. I eat big servings.

Prep:

• wash greens in colander or sink, and drain
• chop off stems and dice finely
• layer leaves one on top of the other and roll up cigar-style
• starting at one end of the cigar, slice into slivers lengthwise
• turn slivers and slice in half for smaller pieces

Cook:

Heat a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large pot, and toss in the diced stems. Let cook a few minutes then add 3 cloves minced garlic. Cook another minute and add the chopped greens with a half cup of water or vegetable stock, a tablespoon or so of cider vinegar or rice vinegar, and a half teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook approximately 5 minutes or until tender. Adjust seasonings. Good with Tabasco or additional vinegar or pepper sauce. -- JillW - 05 Aug 2010