Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 2-3 large bunches of collard greens, cleaned and cut ¼ lb. bacon, chopped (or 3 tbsp. olive oil) 3 c. onion, chopped 3-6 cloves garlic, chopped ¼ c. balsamic vinegar ½ c. firmly packed brown sugar 1 c. bourbon 3-4 c. ham/chicken/vegetable stock Dash Tabasco sauce Salt and pepper (to taste)
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Directions: |
Directions:In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the vinegar and stir to scrape up the pan drippings. Add the brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the collards stems, stirring to coat them in the pan juices. Add the bourbon and cook 2 minutes, then add the stock. Bring to a boil and cook the stems about 45 minutes before adding the chopped collard leaves in batches. Stirring occasionally, allow each batch of leaves to wilt down before adding the next batch. Season to taste with Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more stock if necessary, until greens are tender. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Jim Ernest (who used to work in the Budget Office) taught me how to cook collard greens years ago when we worked together in Parks & Recreation. He told me there were two secrets to collards: 1) use the stems (not just the leaves) because they add a lot of flavor, and 2) add a little bit of sugar. The hardest part of this recipe is cleaning and cutting the greens. I remove the stems, chop them, and put them in the pot to cook for about an hour before I put in the chopped leaves.
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