Admittedly, this recipe derives from the Italian side of my heritage. In my never ending quest to shake things up a bit, instead of escarole, I used collard greens. Collard greens are under-rated and typically boiled to death with ham hocks, turkey tails (?), and/or fat back. Trying a new approach, I was quite smitten with the result. I like a bit of crunch with my veggies, it's a telling sign that says "Hello, I'm still in the form of a lush veggie, and all my nutrients are still intact!" There's a slight bitterness to collard greens, but the balsamic vinegar in this recipe was a weighty contender that sort of took away that bitterness.
Primary reason I went with collard greens: They were on sale for 50 cents a BUNCH....
Secondary reason: They looked delicious, blue-green in color.
So I go on to research the nutritional benefits of collard greens...Holler! Peak growth and nutritional value months are from October-April. Collard greens are loaded with phyto-nutrients, folates, Vitamin's C, A, K, b-complex. Also loaded with minerals, calcium, iron, zinc...to name a few. Related to the cabbage and broccoli family, this humble leafy green is a quiet powerhouse. And it's cheap!
Ingredients: (Serves 2-4)
2 bunches fresh collard greens
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot minced
kosher salt (to taste)
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
15 oz. can white beans-drained and rinsed (I used great northern)
Using a knife, remove stems from collard greens. Once stems removed, stack leaves and chop into large, bite-sized pieces. You will have to do this in batches. Now, you must wash the collard greens three times, since they are very sandy. Start by putting chopped collards in a large pot of water and get your hands in there, and mix and rotate leaves to loosen soil off. Lift collards out of water into a strainer, and rinse again with cold water, shaking off excess water. Do this again, while tossing leaves under water, and shake off excess water ( I did mine in a salad spinner).
Now, in a large skillet saute your shallots with the olive oil for about 2 minutes over med-high heat. Start adding the collard greens in batches. Add salt and pepper. Using tongs, keep turning the greens, until starting to wilt. Add balsamic vinegar, and continue to toss for about 2 minutes, until all leaves are slightly wilted. Add beans, toss, and cover with lid. Turn off heat and let sit (with lid on) for at least 10 minutes.
Primary reason I went with collard greens: They were on sale for 50 cents a BUNCH....
Secondary reason: They looked delicious, blue-green in color.
Ingredients: (Serves 2-4)
2 bunches fresh collard greens
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot minced
kosher salt (to taste)
fresh ground pepper (to taste)
2 T. balsamic vinegar
15 oz. can white beans-drained and rinsed (I used great northern)
Using a knife, remove stems from collard greens. Once stems removed, stack leaves and chop into large, bite-sized pieces. You will have to do this in batches. Now, you must wash the collard greens three times, since they are very sandy. Start by putting chopped collards in a large pot of water and get your hands in there, and mix and rotate leaves to loosen soil off. Lift collards out of water into a strainer, and rinse again with cold water, shaking off excess water. Do this again, while tossing leaves under water, and shake off excess water ( I did mine in a salad spinner).
Now, in a large skillet saute your shallots with the olive oil for about 2 minutes over med-high heat. Start adding the collard greens in batches. Add salt and pepper. Using tongs, keep turning the greens, until starting to wilt. Add balsamic vinegar, and continue to toss for about 2 minutes, until all leaves are slightly wilted. Add beans, toss, and cover with lid. Turn off heat and let sit (with lid on) for at least 10 minutes.
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