I love "good" collards. I wanted a vegetarian version I could share with some of my non- meat eating friends. This is GOOD.
Course: Everything Else, Middles
Cuisine: Southern
Keyword: collards, greens, meat free
Servings: 4servings
Ingredients
2bunchesCollard Greens, see below for cleaning and trimming
2Tbs.Avocado Oil
3/4CupChopped Yellow Onions
2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced
1tsp.Smoked Paprika
1/4CupApple Cider Vinegar
4CupsVegetable Broth
1tsp.Mesquite Liquid Smoke
1-2tsp.Kosher Salt
1-2tsp.Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Trim and wash your greens:The most important part is to remove the thick stem from the leaves. You can cut it away, pull through a fork tine or just use your hands.Once you have your leaves separated, I like to chiffonade them (this is a tip I learned from Michael Twitty). I linked a video above. Chiffonade literally means to cut in ribbons.Once your greens are cut, place them in a colander and rinse thoroughly. I like to rinse then turn them and rinse again. Let them dry completely before cooking. You can roll them in towels to help.
In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat.Sauté the onions, until soft and trans[arent. Add in garlic and sauté. Stir in smoked paprika and let this all cook for 1-2 minutes to meld.
Pour in apple cider vinegar and scrape up any browned bits.Start adding your greens. They will shrink, but it is better to add a little at a time, until all are in.Slowly pour in the vegetable broth then add in the liquid smoke. Stir to really incorporate.Pull out a piece and taste. Then add salt and pepper and stir. Taste again and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Reduce the heat and let the greens simmer for 45-60 minutes. This is important because this is where they soften. Check occasionally and add more broth if needed.Taste one more time and add more smoke, salt or pepper . You can also add a little hot sauce if desired.Serve hot, with bread for sopping up the potlikker!