Braised Collards with Capers and Garlic

Here's another tasty way to prepare a healthy vegetable. 

 

 Again, this is an easy, meatless  recipe that cooks up pretty enough to serve to company.

10 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup Joe and Son’s mild Arbequina EVOO
3 tbsp. capers , drained
2 lbs. collard greens, stems removed and chopped
1 tsp. sea salt
Coarse ground black pepper (to taste)
1 cup warm water
2 tsp. Joe and Son’s 18 yr Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper (or less,to taste) Instructions:

Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a heavy knife and chop the crushed cloves.

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the garlic begins to brown.

Add the capers and cook for 1 minute.

Add the collard greens, salt, pepper and 1 cup of warm water. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes or until the greens are tender but retain some bite.

Uncover the saucepan and bring the heat up to high. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Transfer the greens to a large serving platter and top with the crushed red pepper.

 

Serve immediately while hot.

 

 

 

Popeye would be proud

I'm always looking for a way to cook an ordinary vegetable so that it looks pretty and is tasty.   I really think I found one in this dish.


 We know spinach is good for us.  Walnuts are, too.  So I combined them to make spinach tasty, interesting and pretty enough to eat.

I think you'll agree that this is an easy to prepare dish with few ingredients. And isn't that a good thing for a cook with very little time?

            

                                     Spinach With Walnuts and Raisins


1 Tablespoon Joe and Son's Walnut Oil
1 medium onion..finely diced
3 cloves of garlic...finely minced
 2 bags of fresh spinach...(I used  two 9 oz bags of spinach from Publix.)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup Craisins...but you could use golden raisins if you prefer
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese as a light topping

In a large saute pan,warm the Walnut Oil over low/medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until they become tender.  Add the spinach to the pan in batches and continue to cook until the spinach starts to become soft.  Add the walnuts and craisins.  Continue to stir and cook until the spinach wilts but is still a bright color.  You don't want to overcook this. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the spinach if you like.