"collardgreens" news and stories

One of the best ways to enjoy scallops is dry-rubbed and pan-seared. One of the best ways to enjoy sushi is with a dollop of nose-clearing wasabi. Together, they make for a tasty and simple meal.

Forget about wasabi paste. For this meal, you just grind up some salt, pepper, wasabi powder, and other spices (the above included ground coriander and garlic), pat the scallops with the dry rub, and then follow normal pan-searing instructions. Put a solid amount of the tasty green stuff into the rub, and if you need a little more wasabi kick, you can bring some wasabi-flavored fleur de sel to the table to sprinkle as needed. It's a simple way to class up a bland dinner night, and it only takes about 20 minutes from start to finish (from prepping the greens and scallops to plating).

Note: In the above picture, the scallops are resting on butter-sauteed collard greens, previously mentioned here.

The other night, I found myself at my favorite Creole place and had one heck of a tasty crusted catfish with collard greens. (It was Southern Accent -- go if you're ever in Toronto!!) Even though I had it less than a week ago, I'm still dying for more. So, last night I whipped up a quick chicken version which proved to be one heck of a tasty summer meal.

It was also quite simple. First, I threw some sliced mushrooms in a pan with garlic, onions, and a bit of fresh-ground ginger. While they were cooking, I cut up one chicken breast, and followed the flour-egg-breading dredging technique using some crushed saltines. When they were limp and ginger-perfect, I took them off and threw the sliced collard greens in the pan with a little more ginger, butter, and garlic. While they cooked, I quickly fried the chicken, placed a few pieces on top of the mushrooms, and teamed it with the greens.

It was delicious, filling, and quick, but light enough for summer due the ginger flavor (which worked particularly well with the mushrooms).

This Southern Fusion sushi roll that the couple over at What We're Eating put together looks pretty darn tasty to me. If at first glance you thought the emerald green wrapper was a some rare kind of nori or that the filling was eel or yellowtail allow me to set you straight.

The only "traditional" sushi ingredient this roll contains is the rice. I suppose that's where the fusion part comes in. That lovely green wrapper is actually blanched collard greens. The filling consists of smothered chicken thighs and oven-roasted okra. The whole production was served atop spicy onion gravy. As with all of their creations, they've been kind enough to post the recipe.

This fusion roll looks, and I'm quite sure tastes, much better than some wierd sushi combos that are out there. Although I've never eaten a Philadelphia roll, smoked salmon and cream cheese, at least I know where it's coming from. But the New York sushi chef who combined unagi with peanut butter - was he smoking?

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I've read any number of pieces waxing rhapsodic about collard greens cooked the soul food way - about how delicious was the "pot likker" (I've really seen it spelled that way! honest!), about how wonderful the house smelled when you set the smoked pork products to cooking. About how nothing says comfort like the rich, tender, porky piles of essential vitamins and minerals. I doubted, but I figured I must be missing out on something really great. So, on slow cooking day, I set out to make soul food-style greens.

Neither my expensive Italian market nor my lower-priced supermarket had smoked ham hocks (and I was secretly relieved!) but they did have suggestion #2: smoked pork neck.

Here's how the recipe goes: you boil the smoked pork neck in several cups' water for hours until it's falling off the bone. I used one pound, although most recipes call for two. You clean, destem, and chop lots of collards - three to five bunches. I used three. You combine the mess and let it cook, stirring occasionally, until the collards are tender. Salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.

I just don't love this. I didn't enjoy the smell, and I really could barely finish my serving of collards. My mom liked them, and so did a friend who's into soul food. Everyone else looked at them askance. I'll keep cooking collard greens - but I think I'm going to stick to my Mediterranean-inspired version.

[Photo Sarah Gilbert. And disclaimer: I totally stole the title idea from Love My Crock]