Braised Kale and Collard Greens

Recipe from member, Jonathan Proville.

A Brooklyn take on the classic Southern dish that you’ve always craved. You can improvise with other hearty greens.

(4 servings)
1 bunch of Collard Greens
1 bunch of Kale
4 tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Butter
Salt, Pepper

Rinse collard greens and kale and discard stems. Chop leaves roughly into small pieces. Brown butter in a deep pot over low heat until it is a deep brown but not burnt. Add greens, vinegar and stock. Cover pot with lid and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Just before serving, add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Optional: Get a smoked ham hock from your butcher and brown it on all sides in the butter before you add the rest of the ingredients. It will give the dish that smoky comfort-food feel.

Lentil and Roasted Garlic Soup with Sweet Potato and Kale

Adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2006

The garlic in this recipe takes a little advance planning, but you can make it a day or two ahead while your doing something else in the kitchen and after that, the recipe is a piece of cake. I have also made this with white potatoes or winter squash in place of the sweet potatoes, and every time it is outstanding!

3/4 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
3 cups water
1/2 cup French Green Lentils
2 medium leek (white parts and green parts only) thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
7 cups (you may need 1 more) vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup red lentils
1 1/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
12 ounces kale, ribs discarded, leaves sliced
fresh grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Place the olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a heavy saucepan and cook over lowest possible heat until the garlic begins to brown (about 1.5 hours). Drain and reserve garlic and oil and separately, cover and chill, discard rosemary. (You can do this up to 2 days ahead of time.)

Place 3 cups water and green lentils in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes, cool and drain. Meanwhile heat 1/4 cup garlic oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add leek and sage and cook until leek is soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add 7 cups broth, soy sauce, green and red lentil to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium, cover and simmer until lentils are almost soft - about 15 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (If you need to add more broth to keep veggies covered, do so by the 1/2 cup-full) Add kale to soup and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper (won’t need much). Serve with Parmesan cheese, sprinkled on top, and warm bread on the side.

Kale Soup with Soy and Lime

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, by Mark Bittman

(serves 4) time: 20 minutes
2 Tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup minced onion
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups stock, veg/chicken/beef or plain water
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
salt to taste
3 cups roughly chopped kale leaves (stripped from the stalks and well rinsed)
minced cilantro for garnish
1 jalapeno chili, stemmed and minced (optional)
1 lime

Place oil in a large, deep saucepan and turn heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, 5 -8 minutes. When the onion is tender and golden, add the garlic. Cook 1 minute then add the stock or water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, add the soy sauce and taste for salt; add if necessary. Add the kale to the simmering broth and cook until it is nice and tender, about 10 minutes. Correct the seasoning, garnish and serve, with jalapeno and lime.

Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Chipotle Salsa

Recipe by Rick Bayless, from Everyday Mexican

These are awesome. That’s all I can really say....

(serves 4)
1 bunch swiss chard, collards, mustard or beet greens or spinach, about 12-oz., touch stems removed
1 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large or 2 small onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 cloves garlic cloves, peeled and minced
about 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth or water
12 corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or other fresh cheese (feta is a nice substitute)
3/4 cup smoky chipotle salsa**

Cut the chard crosswise into 1-2 inch slices. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-heat. Add the onion and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes, until they become golden and caramelized. Add the garlic and red pepper and stir for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the broth, greens and a pinch of salt. Cover reduce heat to low and cook until the greens are almost tender, (spinach will just take about 2 minutes, chard about 5, and heartier greens like collards, about 7-8) stirring occasionally. Remove lid and turn heat back to medium, stirring, until the mixture is nearly dry and adjust salt to taste. Meanwhile, heat a flat skillet over medium-high heat and warm the tortillas for a minute or so per side. Fill the warm tortillas with veggies and top with crumbled queso and salsa.

**You can use your favorite salsa, or make a quick, smokey chipotle salsa. Place 1-2 tomatoes, cut in half, half side down under the broiler with a few peeled cloves of garlic until slightly charred - a few minutes. Blend, tomatoes, garlic and 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce (you’ll find these in a can) with a splash of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta with Sausage, Garlic and Greens

Recipe by Heather Thomason

This is our family convenience meal, we refer to it as “the pasta” and make it any night there is little time for dinner planning. It’s delicious every time! To make it without sausage just skip that step and begin with the garlic and pepper flakes.

(Makes 4 servings)
1 pound dried pasta (penne, farfalle, or campanelle all
work great)
1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon hot pepper flakes (give or take depending on
your taste, I like mine spicy)
4 cloves garlic sliced (scapes would work wonderfully)
1 bunch kale, swiss chard or broccoli raab, coarse stems
removed and cut up into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
salt and pepper
fresh grated Parmesan for serving

Heat a pot of boiling water. Cook pasta to al dente and drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat and brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks - about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant (about 1 minute more).

Add the greens and toss/stir until the color brightens and they are all wilted (about 2 minutes). Stir in the broth or water, reduce heat to low and cover. Allow to steam about 3-5 minutes more, until greens are tender. Uncover and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the pasta and distribute to bowls. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and serve.