Okay. So I know we need more DARK leafy greens. So I gave these a shot. I think I need to tweak it a bit… but this is an easy start. And, like all posts going forward, it’s vegan.
Veganomicon
Sauteed Collards
Servings/Yield
—
1 pound Collard Greens, Organic
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 tablespoon olive oil, not evoo, but organic
½ cup vegetable stock, home made is best, but pkg is okay
Method
Super simple… but still retains a bit of the bitter taste. Might need to boil in salt like Shana says… THEN do this. But concerned that might reduce nutrients. Ahh, well. Here’s the steps.
PREHEAT large skillet over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil for about a minute… being careful not to burn it. Add the collards and sautee for about 2 minutes… then add the stock and cook for another 10 minutes, untill the collards are deep green in color.
If after 5 minutes, they haven’t shrunk (a lot)… then heat is too low.
Serve immediately!
FROM: Veganomicon… a book you need to own.
Based on the way “real” collard greens are done, I’ve developed a recipe that’s a big hit in my household, even with my husband who, despite being vegan, is scared of leafy greens in general. (My teen stepson and I have nearly identical palates, so if I like something I know he’ll like it, too.)
There are two things missing from this recipe: something to reduce the bitterness in the greens and something to add the requisite smokiness of proper collards.
I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but vinegar is just the solution for the former. I like to add a couple tablespoons of plain rice vinegar at the same time I add the stock (I’d double the stock amount they give here). For smokiness, I do a bit of fresh ground pepper and a couple tablespoons of Wizard’s Vegan Worcestershire Sauce. Also, I slow-cook the greens on low for as long as I can stand to wait — usually about an hour.
If I want to make a real meal out of it, I add a can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed) with about 10 minutes to go, and let them cook in the juices as well. You can serve over brown rice or use crusty whole-grain bread to soak up the pot liquor. Oh! One more thing: I also sautee a small onion (diced) at the same time as the garlic because … well, yum, onions.
I experimented with this quite a bit, and the measurements I give are not exact, as I cook by eyeballing/tasting as I go. You can obviously adjust to your tastes. Hope this is helpful on some level!