Vegan MoFo Day #1!

This was literally something I threw together. I got a bunch of collards in my farm share, and while I think I’ve eaten them before, I had no idea exactly how to go about making them delicious. I tried Googling things, but everything was either super complicated and involved fancy schmancy ingredients, or boiling the poor greens….and in my experience vegetables + boiling = bleh. Thus, here is my easy take on them based on what was in my kitchen! I’m sure they are far from “Southern Style”, but they were yummy!

WTF are Collards?!: Easy Collards with Potatoes and Tofu

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bunch collards rinsed and cut into manageable pieces
  • 1 medium red potato cut into squarish pieces
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2-3 cloves garlic minced or chopped small
  • 2 tablespoons Earth Balance/oil/margarine etc. (the EB adds a nice flavor though)
  • 1/3 block tofu cut into triangles or anything really
  • 1-2 tbsp. canola/veg oil for tofu
  • a handful of raisins
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Agave/Maple syrup mixture or 1 tbsp. maple syrup
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the collards, shake of excess water and place on cutting board. I just took a big knife and shopped them perpendicular to the stem, until the stem got too big, then I ripped the remaining leaves from the stem (this is just so you don't get big chunks of stem in your dish a.k.a. same with kale). A little bit of stem in the middle is fine. Set aside.
  • Chop potato.
  • Put garlic and earth balance in a saucepan, add potato and turn on medium-low heat.
  • Stir and add water (just to keep it from burning).
  • Cover and let simmer until potatoes are soft, making sure not to let anything burn to a crisp (a.k.a. stir occasionally).
  • While that's going, heat up 1-2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and put in your tofu in one layer.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper and fry on medium heat.
  • Once bottoms are browned, flip all the pieces over and sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper.
  • Once done, put pieces on a plate and set aside.
  • By this time your potatoes should be ready.
  • Put all of the chopped collards in the sauce pan, along with a handful of raisins. Stir and cover.
  • In 2-3 minutes, once collards are wilted and ready, add in the maple-agave syrup or regular maple syrup (I got the Maple Agave from Trader Joe's) and stir.
  • Transfer to a plate/bowl and add your tofu.
  • Eat!

I was skeptical of the maple addition, but goddamn, was it good! I particularly like the subtlety of the maple-agave, but I’m sure regular maple would work too if you use a little less.

What’s your favorite easy way to cook collards? Anyone have any non-traditional ways of incorporating them into meals?