Sautéed Collard Greens

This recipe for sautéed collard greens does not involve the classic method of preparation. Traditionally the greens endure hours of simmering with a ham hock or smoked turkey wing. Instead, you can try this vegan option in only 20 minutes of cooking time. These cook much quicker,  retain a lot more nutrients and have a tender, hearty texture.

My recipe is not just greens simply sautéed in oil. There is much more going on here. The introduction of a few unexpected ingredients gives this dish what it needs to rival any meat-based recipe … allspice (Jamaican pimento), tabasco vinegar, and lemon juice. When these three ingredients are combined and cooked down with garlic, black pepper, and the juice extracted from the sautéed collard greens the result is heavenly.

My personal preference is to cut the greens large and leafy. Doing so gives the greens a meaty texture. Due to the mechanics of sautéing, this recipe typically yields 4 servings at most, so if you’re cooking for a large group, definitely do it in batches. It’s a bit more work but well worth it.

Collard greens are a staple in American Southern cooking, which is historically influenced by Black home chefs. Therefore, it’s a no-brainer that this recipe is essential in my post featuring Black Vegan recipes.

Ingredientsfor sautéed collard greens

• 1 bunch of collard greens (about 10 – 15 stalks)
• white vinegar for cleaning greens
• 6 – 8 tabasco peppers in vinegar, finely chopped
• tabasco vinegar from the bottle (optional)
  

  Hot pepper-infused vinegar is a key ingredient in this recipe. Be sure to buy some white vinegar to refill the supply.

• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus extra for cleaning
• 1 tsp. black pepper (freshly ground, preferred)
• 1/2 tsp. allspice (Jamaican “pimento”)
• 3 – 4 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Cut the stems from the leaves lengthwise. Cut the leaves crosswise into your desired size. (The stems will not cook down in such a small amount of cooking time, but definitely save them to make a vegetable stock for a future recipe.)
2. Soak the cut greens for at least one hour in a solution of water, about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, and a splash of white vinegar. Drain the greens and set aside.
3. Sauté the garlic, tabasco peppers and kosher salt in olive oil over high heat for a few minutes until the garlic turns slightly brown.
4. Add the greens, lemon juice, tabasco vinegar, black pepper and allspice. Stir and toss as needed to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated. For a milder flavor, omit the tabasco vinegar.
5. Continue to cook and stir on high heat (with no lid) for as long as is desired.