Ginger- and Coconut-braised Collard Greens
I love the reaction when my guests dig into dinner and at first taste say something silly like “this is vegan?!” or “I would eat healthy all the time if it tasted this good.” My primary goal in feeding people is to play with the common misconception that healthy food cannot taste deliciously indulgent. I especially enjoy taking traditional recipes- the ones that speak directly to nostalgia’s palate- and silently turning them on their head: bringing to the table a dish so eerily resemblant of what you grew up craving that it’s hard to pitch a fit.
I live in the south, where stewed collards are as emblematic of the food culture as cornbread and sweet tea. The dish is traditionally savory, sour, sweet, and almost always studded with chunks of ham hock. While serving Southern traditions has never been high up on my agenda, the bulk of the ingredients I cook with naturally happen to be grown in the lowcountry: corn, okra, peaches, rice, pecans, field peas, and of course, collard greens. I’ve fallen in love with braising them with shallots, ginger, bone broth and coconut milk- producing a rich and savory pot liquor arguably more satisfying than the original.
This is more of a guideline for making greens craveable than it is a recipe to follow religiously. I’ve made it with and without shallots, with lemon instead of lime, with hearty kale instead of collard greens, with ghee and toasted fennel seeds instead of coconut oil. The only truly important steps to follow are: 1. to lightly brown and season your greens properly before adding the braising liquid and 2. to take them off the heat as soon as they are a deep dark green and deliciously tender- we’re not going for brown and mushy.
Make a big batch to have on hand and enjoy with slow roasted fish, tossed around noodles, with beans and a fried egg, or cold out of the fridge with a can of oil packed mackerel in a hurry.
Ingredients
1 bunch of collard greens, stemmed and chopped into bite sized pieces (I tend to compost the thicker part of the stems, and thinly dice the thinner part and add it to the pan when sauteeing the shallots)
1 thumb sized knob of ginger, peeled and grated
1 very large shallot, or 2 smaller ones, thinly sliced
1 can of coconut milk + ½ cup of bone broth
OR
1 ½ cans of coconut milk (if vegan)
Enough coconut oil (or ghee) to coat the bottom of your pan liberally
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne
Zest of 1 lime, plus juice from half
Directions
Heat pan over medium high and add coconut oil.
Add shallots and coat them evenly in the hot oil. If using the diced and reserved collard stems, add those to the pan now.*
Stir the mixture every 30 seconds or so for about two minutes- you want everything to lightly brown and soften slightly.
Add collard leaves and stir to coat well. Season with salt. Saute for another two minutes.
Add the coconut milk, bone broth, and grated ginger on low heat for a gentle simmer. Cover the pan, and let the greens braise for 10 minutes before tasting. You want the greens to be silky and tender, and the broth should taste perfectly earthy, creamy, and gingery.
Add the lime zest & juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy however your heart desires!
*This is by no means a necessary step, but is a great way to utilize the whole vegetable and also adds great texture to the dish.
About the Author
Vilda Gonzalez is the Food Editor at The Thirlby, an avid home cook, and studying to become a holistic nutritionist. She is the founder and chef of Sol-Eir, an ongoing series of alchemized food and beverage experiences. Her mission is to rewire our collective relationship to what eating well truly means; with the highest regard of respect for our body, our community, and our earth. She believes that food should be delicious, flavorful, and indulgent, but it should also be deeply nourishing, regenerative, and inherently healthful. Vilda also works with individuals to strengthen their personal relationships with food through means of intuitive cooking and connection.
