The Greens Of Your Dreams
Every now and then, I'll scroll through our archive of articles over on Heated to a) remind myself of everything we've published in the past months/years (kind of like looking at old family photos) and b) see which pieces were (or were not) popular with readers. Occasionally, I'll come across an incredible story or recipe that, for whatever reason (people are busy, I get it), didn't get as much love as we think it deserved. This collard greens dish from Holly Haines is one of those recipes: It's simple, different, loaded with flavor, and has a clear point of view.
Holly writes these pieces where she imagines what it would be like to cook with her black and Filipino grandmothers (whom she didn't know); here, she dreams up what would have happened if the two of them collaborated on a pot of collard greens. The result? Greens slow-simmered in coconut milk, punched up with fish sauce, garlic, chiles, and vinegar, and further richened with smoked turkey leg (you can use your smoked meat of choice) and coconut cream. If it's possible for a dish to feel classic and surprising at the same time, that's what this is.
One of the great things about cooking greens this way is that you can let them bubble away on the stove without paying much attention. So if they're going to be a side dish in a larger meal, you've got about 90 mostly uninterrupted minutes to devote to cooking something else. Or if you're just going to eat these on their own (underrated!), you're free to do whatever it is that keeps you moderately sane and relaxed these days. For me, it's running, or napping, or maybe more cooking. I wonder what Holly's grandmas would have done.
—Mark
P.S. This is completely unrelated, but I know a lot of people are in the market for reliable digital forehead thermometers these days (I just bought one). Our friends at Thermoworks (whose thermometers we usually use for cooking, not ourselves), are having a limited time sale on theirs. Everything they make works well. Anyway, just FYI. Stay safe.
Talk To Me, Goose!
Questions, comments, brilliant suggestions? Just want to share the recipe for your grandma's potato salad, or your mom's meatloaf, or your uncle Drew's three-day 100-percent rye loaf (yes, please)? Don't hesitate to reach out anytime.