Crispy Collard Green Caesar Salad

According to the CDC’s latest report on powerhouse fruits and vegetables both Romaine lettuce and Collard greens are top ten veggies. Better for you than Kale. This riff on the classic Caesar has zing and crunch and a hundred shades of green. The crispy collard greens are snackable on their own but I love the depth, both in color and flavor, they add to a Caesar salad.

I was never a huge fan of collard greens cooked long and slow, a texture thing? A sticking to the roof of my mouth thing? So when I first came across a recipe that called for thinly sliced collards it was a revelation. A revelation that added yet another leafy green to my regular rotation. Sometimes bacon, sometimes garlic, sometimes a bit of cider vinegar: you can sauté thinly sliced collard greens in a matter of minutes. Try it, I think you might like it. But in the meantime enjoy this caesar salad, I know I did.

On a side note I just re-read the recipe and now feel bad for the romaine heart that has been torn or cut into bite sized pieces. You do not have to tear up the heart or cut it into bite sized pieces, you can use the dark outer greens instead if you prefer.

For the crispy collard greens

• 1 bunch fresh collard greens, washed, dried, and julienned
• enough olive oil to just coat the collard greens
• 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

for the dressing

• 2-3 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
  1 T. Dijon mustard
  1 T. white balsamic vinegar
  1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  Fresh-ground peppercorns
  1 fresh squeezed lemon
  About ½ tsp anchovy paste or minced anchovy fillets

the rest

• 1 romaine heart, torn or cut into bite sized pieces
• Croutons (either homemade or store bought or optional)
• Aged Parmesan or Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325° F. Toss the julienned collard greens with oil, garlic, salt and pepper and spread onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crispy and just beginning to brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Set aside

While the collards are cooking (or up to a day ahead of time) combine the ingredients for the dressing and either blend (which will make a creamier dressing) or whisk to thoroughly combine.

Dress the salad just before serving. I like to toss the romaine with the dressing and croutons and then layer or top with the crispy collards on the plate.

Shave strips of Parmesan into salad using a vegetable peeler.

This sudden green, after years of desert

startles, makes the palms of my hands

dewy, like plumes of mist

rising from the streets after rain.

I drown, but I can breathe.

I swim, like a birds through the air.

The water, my skin, my eyes

ripple like clouds flung across the hills,

waves on the river white-capped with wind.

I swallow the sky,  as the sun

turns ether white, makes mirrors

out of rain always falling, a rainbow

blooms on the horizon, rises up.

Crispy Collard Green Caesar Salad

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Ingredients

  

• For the crispy collard greens
• 1 bunch fresh collard greens washed, dried, and julienned
• enough olive oil to just coat the collard greens
• 2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• +
• for the dressing
• 2-3 cloves garlic mashed and minced
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 T. white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh-ground peppercorns
• 1 fresh squeezed lemon
• About ½ tsp anchovy paste or minced anchovy fillets
• +
• the rest
• 1 romaine heart torn or cut into bite sized pieces
• Croutons either homemade or store bought or optional
• Aged Parmesan or Reggiano cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Toss the julienned collard greens with oil, garlic, salt and pepper and spread onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crispy and just beginning to brown on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Set aside
• While the collards are cooking (or up to a day ahead of time) combine the ingredients for the dressing and either blend (which will make a creamier dressing) or whisk to thoroughly combine.
• Dress the salad just before serving. I like to toss the romaine with the dressing and croutons and then layer or top with the crispy collards on the plate.
• Shave strips of Parmesan into salad using a vegetable peeler.

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