Recipe from the Farm Box: Collard Greens

Some days your best laid plans turn rotten and die. Some weeks are made up of those days. This week The Husband and I got side tracked by jobs and life and Thursday was my first opportunity to actually cook something. The Husband was going to bring me a Chopped Challenge and I was looking forward to it. Unfortunately he ended up having to work late and that left me to my own devises. Without knowing when he was going to be home I wanted to make a meal that could be prepped in advance and come together quickly when he walked in the door.  The collard greens had really struck my cooking soul, but I didn't really want to sit around waiting for them to braise.  Nor did I really have a desire to fight with bacon. So I began my search on the internet for something light, fresh and quick.

I was pleased to find THIS recipe. It reminds me of a dish I used to make for my roommates in college that I called "peasant food," which is basically whatever we had in the fridge with pasta. The trick to the dish was to slice the collards as thin as possible so they would cook quickly and leech some of their flavor into the "sauce" of the dish itself. This combined with red pepper/garlic infused oil, lightly toasted pinenuts and a good helping of lemon juice resulted in a well balanced, hearty, and healthy meal perfect for a hot summer that really highlighted the greens.

I loved this dish. The Husband found it acceptable. He claims he doesn't like Collards. He's Crazy.

The Recipe

recipe by marthastwart.com

• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch collard greens (12 oz), ribs removed, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus more for garnish
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• Coarse salt
• 12 oz whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic and pepper flakes until tender, about 1 minute. Add greens and cook, stirring until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in well-salted water according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and then drain.
3. Add pasta to skillet, tossing to coat, and add reserved water to adjust consistency. Sprinkle with lemon zest and cheese before serving.