Couve Recipe
Sauteed collard greens and bacon, a traditional side to Brazilian Feijoada.
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Ingredients
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Greens & Produce
Protein & Fat
Seasoning
Method
Prep
- 1
Wash and slice collards
Wash the collard greens thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit. Pat dry or spin in a salad spinner. Remove the tough central stems by folding each leaf lengthwise and slicing out the rib, then stack leaves, roll tightly (chiffonade) and slice very thin crosswise into ribbons until you have about 10 cups packed.
- 2
Prepare other ingredients
Peel and thinly slice or mince 4 garlic cloves. Finely chop 1/2 cup shallot or small onion. Dice 4 slices of bacon into roughly 1/4-inch pieces. Measure salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if using.
Cook bacon and aromatics
- 3
Crisp the bacon
Heat a large heavy skillet (10–12 inches) over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp and golden, about 6–8 minutes. If bacon fat is insufficient, add up to 1 tablespoon olive oil to ensure you have about 1 tablespoon fat in the pan.
- 4
Sauté greens
- 5
Add collard greens in batches
Increase heat to medium-high. Add about one-third of the sliced collards to the pan and toss or stir to coat with bacon fat and aromatics. As they begin to wilt (1–2 minutes), add the next third, then the final third, stirring between additions so all leaves evenly contact the pan and heat. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the collards are wilted and tender but still bright green, about 4–6 minutes total after all added. If the pan looks dry or greens are sticking, add 1–2 tablespoons water and cover for 30–60 seconds to help steam and tenderize, then uncover and continue cooking.
- 6
Season and finish
Season with 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and optional 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat, squeeze 1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice over the greens, and toss to combine.
- 7
Serve
Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and spoon the crisped bacon pieces and any flavorful pan fat over the top. Serve immediately as the traditional accompaniment to feijoada or as a warm side dish.