Braised Collard Greens Recipe
Braised Collard Greens, spiced coconut cream, chickpeas.
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Ingredients
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Collard greens
Braising base
Chickpeas
Spiced coconut cream
Finish & garnish
Method
Collard greens
- 1
prepare and blanch
Rinse collard greens well to remove grit. Trim out thick central stems and stack leaves; roll and slice into 1/2-inch ribbons. Bring 2 cups water and 1 tsp kosher salt to a simmer in a wide pot. Add collard ribbons and blanch for 2 minutes until they brighten and slightly wilt. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain again and squeeze out excess water; set aside.
Braising base
- 2
- 3
spice and deglaze
Stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices. Pour in 1 cup vegetable stock, scraping the pan to release any browned bits. Add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp brown sugar and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- 4
braise collards
Add the blanched collard greens and 1 cup drained chickpeas to the pan, tossing to coat in the braising liquid. Press the greens down so they are submerged as much as possible. Cover and reduce heat to low. Braise gently for 18–22 minutes, stirring once or twice, until greens are tender and flavors have melded. If liquid reduces too much, add up to 1/4 cup extra stock or water.
Chickpeas
- 5
season chickpeas
While collards braise, combine the drained chickpeas (if not already added, reserve 1 cup) with 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Toss to coat. If using canned chickpeas added earlier to the braise, stir this seasoned portion into the pan in the last 5 minutes to heat through.
Spiced coconut cream
- 6
make coconut cream
Whisk together 3 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk with 1/4 cup coconut cream, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Warm gently in a small saucepan over low heat for 1–2 minutes to meld the spices (do not boil). Taste and adjust salt or turmeric as desired.
- 7
finish with coconut cream
When collards and chickpeas are tender, remove the pan from heat. Spoon or drizzle half of the spiced coconut cream over the greens and gently toss to combine; reserve the remainder to serve on the side for additional creaminess.
Finish & garnish
- 8
final seasoning and serve
Taste the braised greens and adjust seasoning with additional salt or a squeeze of lime if desired. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle the reserved coconut cream over the top, finish with 1 tsp olive oil, sprinkle 2 tbsp toasted seeds or nuts and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.