Vegetarian Collard Greens
Collards and other greens are sweeter after a freeze, so leave those long tough leaves on the plant until after a cold shock and they’ll be more palatable. I recommend using a 12-inch cast-iron frying pan for this dish. Instead of bacon, this recipe calls for toasted sourdough, which adds a similar fatty, chewy, crispy texture and smoky flavor. Of course, you can also just use bacon.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon(s) peanut butter
- 2 pinches salt, divided
- 1 pinch(es) black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon(s) paprika
- 1 cup(s) sourdough bread, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 clove(s) garlic, minced
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 1 bunch(es) collard greens, stripped from the thickest part of the stems and roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat half of the oil and all of the butter in a pan until smoking. Add the spices and stir, then add the bread—stirring regularly and cooking until the bread is crispy and golden brown.
- Remove the bread and spread across a baking sheet (so it doesn’t get soggy in a bowl).
- Add the remaining oil to the pan over medium-high heat and add a pinch of salt. Add the garlic, stirring rapidly, then immediately add the onion and let it heat until glistening.
- Add the collards and cook for a few minutes, until the greens are bright and wilted.
- Taste for texture—it shouldn’t be as soft as canned spinach, but it shouldn’t be hard to chew or bitter, either. Remove the greens to a serving bowl, add the bread, gently combine and serve.
