Winter. The season for sturdy greens, as I’ve learned through my new Farm Fresh to You produce box, which arrives every other week. But, what to do with them? Greens are delicious prepared simply, with a little something for flavor accent. Collard greens pair perfectly with bacon, this is nothing new. But serving them as an entree with brown rice, that was new for me; the perfect, winter, stay at home lunch. I can hardly wait for my next delivery!
Collard Greens & Bacon
makes 6 cups
makes 6 cups
1 bunch organic collard greens
2 slices bacon, chopped
4 cups water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sea salt
1. With a knife, remove the tough stem from each leaf by slicing down each side of the stem; discard. Chop leaves coarsely.
2. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large soup pot or sauce pan. Add salt then greens and simmer for 15 minutes. Reserve three or four tablespoons of cooking water and then drain the greens.
3. Cook bacon in large frying pan until almost crisp, about 5 minutes. Add cooked greens and three tablespoons of reserved cooking water. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 10 – 15 minutes, adding additional cooking water if the greens dry out prematurely. Serve as a main dish with brown rice, a drizzle of nice quality olive oil and a few grains of fleur de sel.
Kitchen Coach Tips
- The best way to remove dirt from winter greens like collards, kale and spinach is to immerse the greens in a large bowl of water. Jiggle them around a little bit then lift the greens out of the water to leave the dirt in the bottom of the bowl.
- Collards are milder than kale but take longer to cook. If you are cooking kale, chard or spinach, omit the “boiling in water” step and proceed directly to the sautee (step 3 of this recipe), simply adding a tablespoon or two of fresh water to the greens.
