Vegetarian Collards

[jesse_the_k]

I’ve finally got a reliable technique. Requires a very sharp chef's knife.

• cut out and discard the ribs
• chiffonade: stack up three to five half-leaves, fold over in half lengthwise, roll tightly, then cut into thin ribbons
• parboil (in my 1000 watt nuke, that's 6 minutes covered)
• add to sweated onions and caraway seeds cooked in copious oil
• stir & cook for at least 20 minutes
• finish with equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and apple juice

Last time I cooked up three bunches, which was two pots full, using 1/2 C each ACV and apple juice.

Comments

[gloss]

Mmm, that sounds delicious!

I love chiffonading things.

[jesse_the_k]

It feels magical, transforming the elephant-ear of collard into a graceful ribbon. A quick peek into the dictionary surprises me: the French origin means crumple.

[azurelunatic]

Ooo! I will have to look into microwaving the next time we have them.

[jesse_the_k]

It saves a lot of time and stove-watching.

[tarasacon]

oh, interesting technique!

The downside to this being that I rarely have apple juice in stock- it’s not one of my staples. But I bet I can adapt.

[jesse_the_k]

The hint of sweetness makes a big difference.

If you can handle apple, some shredded apple would probably add what's needed.

If you do rice wine vinegar, I'd sub that in for the apple cider vinegar and double the amount.

Otherwise you could hit up the ACV with a teaspoon of plain old sugar!

[tarasacon]

I always have apples! They are one of my go-to easy foods to keep on hand, for when eating is complicated. Grating some in would work, but I am more likely to go with sugar because it’s easier, fewer things to clean up later.

My usual vinegar for greens is either rice wine, for lighter greens, or balsamic + red wine vinegar for more strongly flavored ones. Or sometimes combinations.

I avoid nightshades, because they trigger fibro flares. Last year I started missing the ease and flavor of tomatoes as a base in various soups. One experiment that is earning a repeating place in my repertoire is a couple types of vinegar, plus brown or raw sugar, for the acid and sweetness, and zucchini, for the texture of tomato pulp. Add oregano and basil, and sense memory is willing to pretend it’s a tomato base. Your seasoning for greens is using some of the same principles. :)

[jesse_the_k]

That's a fascinating sub for tomato paste-like savoriness and texture. Do you shred or cook the zucchini?

Another possibility is tamarind paste, which is part of the signature flavor of Pad Thai (which many American cooks use tomato ketchup as a substitute).

[tarasacon]

I just chop the zucchini up and cook it. Overcook it, really, so the texture is closer to canned tomatoes (rather than the paste). Shredding would be more work for my gimpy hands.

I experimented with dried tamarind powder early on (no love), but never managed a good source for the paste. (The Indian market I was using, if they had it I wasn't finding it, hence trying the powder instead. I've meant to go back and try again, but I wasn't cooking enough to push me into the drive, and currently I don't have a working car.

In the summer I use purple plums. The grocery tends to sell them slightly underripe, which actually works quite well as a tomato substitute.

I also have food grade citric acid, but that is one-note. I prefer the more complex tang from combining vinegars and lemon and sugar.

AHHHH PLUMS!

[jesse_the_k]

What a great way to use 'em.

Finding things in an Asian market is fun until it's overwhelming.