Garlic Sautéed Collard Greens
Collard greens are built to handle heat. Unlike delicate spinach, these leaves need time to surrender their toughness, making them a reliable side that holds its own against smoke and salt.
Mastering the texture of a hardy leaf
The secret is removing the fibrous center stem, which stays woody even after cooking. If you don't remove it, you'll be chewing long after the leaves are gone.
- Large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven
- Chef's knife
- Tongs
- Cutting board
What goes in.
- 2 lbsfresh collard greens, washed and stemmed
- 4 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
- 3 tbspolive oil or rendered bacon fat
- 1/2 cupchicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tspred pepper flakes
- to tastesea salt
Stack, roll, and slice
Stack 5 or 6 leaves on top of each other, roll them tightly like a cigar, and slice across the roll to create thin, uniform ribbons that wilt quickly.
The method.
Prep the greens
Fold each leaf in half lengthwise and slice out the thick center rib. Stack the leaves, roll them tightly, and slice into half-inch ribbons.
Aromatize the oil
Heat the fat in your pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 60 seconds until the garlic edges turn pale gold; do not let them brown or they will turn acrid.
Wilt the greens
Add the ribbons to the pan in handfuls, tossing with tongs as they shrink. Once they are all in, pour in the stock.
Simmer
Cover the pan and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. The greens should be tender but still show a vibrant, deep green color.
Finish
Remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high for 2 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid, leaving just enough to coat the greens. Season with salt.
Other turns to take.
Vinegar-Forward
Finish with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar right before serving to cut through the earthy density of the greens.
Smoky Depth
Add a smoked ham hock or two slices of diced thick-cut bacon to the pan before the garlic, rendering the fat completely before moving to the greens.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always wash greens in a large basin of cold water; they harbor grit in the folds that a quick rinse won't remove.
If your greens look like they are drying out, add a splash more water or stock to prevent burning.
Do not overcook them until they turn army-drab olive; pull them from the heat when they are soft but still have some structural integrity.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use kale instead?
Yes, but reduce the cooking time by half. Kale is far more tender than collards and will turn to mush if cooked for the full 12 minutes.
How do I know the stems are done?
The stem section should be pliable and easy to bite through without resistance.
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