collard greens with fresh autumn apples, apple cider, and apple cider vinegar
Up your luck in the new year by adding greens. If the only collards you’ve ever had have been thick cut and slow stewed it my come as a surprise that they are also delicious barely cooked or even raw, you don’t even have to add pork. That’s right these are vegan and like all my favorite vegan recipes they are vegan (and/or paleo and whole 30) just because and like most of my recipes for vegetables it is barely a recipe. Think of these collard greens as a jumping off point, a beginning, like the turning of the calendar to the new year, this is a chance to try something new.
Alterations or substitutions to infinity, and beyond
Photos updated September 2024- this is the uncooked version- the slaw. Served with creamed corn and buttermilk chicken.
I quick cooked my collards and served them with biscuits and pickle brined turkey wings (sale, I’m all about sales, and pickles, I’m all about pickles) but, as I discovered when I assembled the greens hours before we finally ate dinner, they keep raw for several hours and, after a half hour or so, lose bitterness and gain tenderness. Once the weather warms I will be serving this as a cold slaw or side, perfect with brats (be they pork or vegan).
Unfiltered ACV (that’s apple cider vinegar for those of you not acronym abbreviation inclined) is my go to vinegar for collard greens (that and a little Crystal hot sauce) but it could certainly be subbed out for another flavorful vinegar or even a crisp white wine or lemon juice.
I used olive oil to toss and heat. I was, however, tempted to cook the collards in bacon fat but then they wouldn’t be vegan but then they would be paleo (providing you use the right bacon). I wouldn’t use coconut oil because aside from also being an internet miracle cure for everything I don’t think it goes well with ACV, at least not here.
quick collard greens with apples and acv
Ingredients
- 6-8 collard green leaves well washed and trimmed of any woody stems or veins
- 1/4 cup unfiltered unpasteurized ACV (apple cider vinegar)
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil plus a bit more for cooking, if desired
- 1/2-1 apple cut into matchsticks (something crisp and semi-sweet would be ideal, the point is to add a little sweetness to the mix)
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Chiffonade the collard greens and toss in a large bowl with the acv- using your hands to massage the oil and vinegar into the collards.
- Julienne (well as close as this home cook gets at least) the apples and toss them with the greens.
- Let this rest for 30 minutes or up to four or five hours in a cool kitchen.
- Preheat and oil the large pan of your choice over medium heat and cook until just heated through and still mostly bright green- you can go longer by a minute or two or skip the cookies altogether if you prefer a cold side.
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