Collard Greens

 

I make collard greens differently than most people do.  When I realized sautéed corn, cabbage, roasted Brussels sprouts and roasted cauliflower all tasted a million times better sautéed over high heat instead of boiled, I figured the same would apply to collard greens.   Vegetables cooked to nutty brown in a skillet or hot oven have a nutty depth of flavor that I actually crave.

When I had the Fried Chicken Dinners on Sunday at my restaurant, I would always be asked for the Collard Green Recipe.  I will write a small version for the sauce and a large version of the sauce in case you want to make this for a larger group.  It is basically equal parts rice wine vinegar and Crystal's hot sauce with half the amount of sugar.

I could eat bowls of collard greens with fresh cornbread.

COLLARD GREENS

Remember the Collard Greens shrink down considerably when cooked so always start with more than you need.

3 strips thick cut bacon, cut into pieces

2 bunches collard greens

2 tablespoons olive oil

pinch of Kosher Salt

for sauce:

1/4 cup Crystal's Hot Sauce, or your favorite hot sauce

1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar, or another mild vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

Trim the thick centers stems out of the middle of the collard greens.  Cut the leaves into rough one-inch pieces.

In the widest pan you have, cook the bacon over medium low heat until it is crispy.  When the bacon is almost completely cooked, remove it from the pan, turn up the heat to high, add a little olive oil and then put in the collard greens.  Add a pinch of kosher salt.  Turn over high heat until the greens begin to get a dark green and some may slightly brown.

While the greens are cooking make the sauce:  Combine all three ingredients and stir until the sugar dissolves.

Add the bacon back to the greens and stir.  When the greens are completely cooked, add the sauce over the top.   

They can be served immediately or prepared ahead reheated.  They will keep up to five days.

Maili 

Large Batch Version of the Sauce that we used with a case of Collard Greens. (That we used in the restaurant.  We often doubled the recipe below)

1 cup Crystal's Hot Sauce

1 cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/2 cup sugar