Collard Greens:  a Southern Favorite, a Winter Treat

Before I moved to North Carolina, I only knew of collards very abstractly, and the couple of times I had eaten them they were over boiled, brown, and bitter. Then I moved to Chapel Hill and I ate them at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro at the hot food bar. My life changed with that bite! These collards were green and crisp, sweet and juicy- not like the brown, bitter things I had eaten before. I was inspired. In the wintertime, collards have become my mainstay because they are available in abundance on local farms. I usually saute them with caramelized onion and/or garlic. And I can add them to anything--pasta polenta, egg scrambles, quiche, etc.

Here is the basic saute recipe (recipe is actually too precise a word):

• Chop an onion and/or a clove of garlic
• Add to pan with a Tablespoon of Extra Virgin cold-pressed olive oil or coconut oil. Cook over medium heat until onions and garlic caramelize.
• Wash 4-8 collard leaves (depending on the size of your pan and the size of the leaves)
• Cut off only the ends of the long end of the stem, you can leave the rest. The stems cook well and actually have a sweet flavor.
• Chop leaves down the center and then again both lengthwise and horizontally, the leaves can be a little unruly if left very long (I’m speaking from experience).
• Add chopped collard leaves to the onions/garlic mixture and cook for 5-10 minutes. Leaves will turn bright green and the stems will become tender.
• Add salt, pepper, chili pepper flakes to taste.

For pasta I just add the sauteed collards to the cooked whole grain pasta with a drizzle of olive oil. I grate some parmesan or asiago cheese over the top for taste.

I also use this mixture very successfully in quiche--it makes the quiche a little heartier and healthier. The basic quiche recipe I use is in The Joy of Cooking and is listed (in my modified version) below:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
• Set a rack in the lowest position in the oven

Crust: I buy my pie crusts from Whole Foods. My favorite is a spelt wheat crust. If you have the time to make your crusts, that is great!

Prepare and set aside the collard greens mixture. In a small bowl combine:

• 4 oz of fresh goat cheese (slowly mash the goat cheese in the bowl with the back of a wooden spoon until smooth)
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1-2 T fresh chopped herbs such as thyme, basil, sage, parsley or basil (in the winter if I don’t have access to this, I will use dried herbs)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Plenty of black pepper

Whisk above ingredients together until smooth.

Remove pie shell from the refrigerator or freezer (usually they are frozen). Add any additional cheese like gruyere (if desired), about 1/2-3/4 cup, grated into the bottom of the pie shell. Add collards mixture to the shell and spread evenly. Pour the egg mixture over the collards. Place the quiche pan on a cookie sheet to prevent spillage. Bake until the pastry and top are golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Let the quiche rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!