Collard Greens Stew

I'm excited to introduce this recipe, because in it I use purple hull peas for the first time. These legumes are a cousin of the black eyed pea, and look almost identical, but pack a bit more flavor! My local Kroger had some Texas grown peas, that came fresh in the produce section. The peas came out of the pod and pre-soaked, but they were still hard and needed to be cooked. This stew has some Southern flavors and some spicy Cajun kick too, so adjust the spice level to your tastes accordingly! You can serve this stew over top rice, but I had a can of vegan biscuits in the fridge that I need to use up, so I baked the flaky biscuits and dipped them into the broth. This was so rich and the collards were perfectly tender and not bitter at all!


Collard Greens Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 80 minutes
Serves: 4-5

12 oz. fresh purple hulls (pre-soaked, but not pre-cooked)
1 bunch collard greens (remove stem, roll each leaf and cut along the short width)
2 small tomatoes (diced)
1 yellow onion (sliced into thin rings)
6 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp cajun seasoning
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp white pepper
4 C water
sea salt
fresh black pepper
Louisiana hot sauce
EVOO

1. In a large stock pot add EVOO and heat to medium. Add onions and cook 3-4 minutes. 
2. Add garlic and tomatoes. Stir and cook 2-3 minutes.
3. Add paprika, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, white pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.
4. Add water, hot sauce, and oregano. Stir well and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, add collard greens to the top of the pot (do not stir them in at this point). Place the lid on the pot and bring the heat down to low. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Stir in collards and add more spice to taste if desired. Simmer another 60 minutes or until the purple hulls reach your desired level of tenderness.

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