Braised collard greens with bacon and vinegar

There's a story behind this post.

This recipe stemmed from my love of cookbooks (maybe I should do a post about my faves, what do you think?) combined with a borderline obsession with anything that has to do with the South. I'm a Dixie chick at heart. I love the food (duh!), the landscapes, the warm weather… You get what I'm saying.

So when I stumbled upon this book, I thought 'Oh, how cool! A book just about New Orleans food'. I had absolutely no idea Treme was actually a show, and only realized it once I started to read the book back in the comfort of my home, curled up in my couch. Don't you love those cocooning sessions, wrapped up in a throw, reading a good book in peace and quiet? I do. And my favorite kind of books to do this are cookbooks.

I've always liked collard greens and just fell in love with the collard greens recipe in the Treme book the moment I saw it. I decided right then and there to adapt it and share it with you guys.

Hope you'll like this recipe :)

PS: go get the Treme cookbook now!


INGREDIENTS (4 to 6 people as a side dish):
- 2.5 lbs collard greens (for me, that was two bunches)
- 4 strips of thick cut bacon (I only had 4 strips left, but feel free to use more)
- 1 medium onion, diced finely
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced finely
- a few sprigs of thyme
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- salt to taste (I actually didn't need any because of how salty the bacon was)


RECIPE:
- remove the ribs of the collard greens and wash and drain the leafy parts

- bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the collard greens for about 2 minutes, drain well and chop into 1 inch wide strips


- in a thick bottom skillet, fry the bacon until crispy over medium-high heat

- add the diced onion, garlic, thyme and chili flakes and cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes until the onion is transparent

- add the vinegar, broth, bring to a boil and add the chopped greens

- cover and simmer for 2 hours over very low heat until the greens are tender

- serve warm
- those Southern-style collard greens make a perfect side dish to pan-fried ham and grits :)
- enjoy!

Quick pickled fennel

I don't know about you, but fresh fennel bulbs are one of my absolute favorite vegetables. It is crisp, refreshing, slightly sweet and has this subtle liquorice and anise aftertaste that I just cannot get enough of.

Fennel bulbs and vinegar. Love.

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 fresh fennel bulb
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- optional: 1/4 cup sugar (if you like your pickles very salty and vinegary omit this step, but I think it works well in the case of fennel)



RECIPE:
- trim the fennel bulb, remove the core and slice paper-thin with a mandolin

- stuff the fennel snuggly in a mason jar (don't forget the green parts!) and sprinkle with the spices

- bring the water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a boil and pour over the fennel

- close the jar lid and let cool completely before refrigerating for at least 1 day
- eat as a side dish to meat, fish, in a salad or just as a snack!

Asparagus and Egg Soup

This post brings me so many childhood memories.

My grandmother used to prepare this soup for us when my sister and I were little and had sleepovers at her place...

For years, I have tried to recreate the exact, delicate and slightly acidic taste I remembered so well. Last year, I finally found a recipe that was close enough that I was sure a little tweaking would allow me to savour it again.

Here's my recreation (switched green asparagus for white just like my grandma did, added a splash of vinegar and changed the egg ratio). Enjoy!


INGREDIENTS (for 2-3 people):
- 6 cups water
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (or veggie broth for a vegetarian option)
- 1 bunch white asparagus
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs (the fresher, the better)
- 1 1/3 cups cut spaghetti (my grandma used vermicelli, which are thinner and shorter angel hair pasta, but my supermarket only carried the cut spaghetti)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (any white vinegar will do - do not use red wine vinegar or balsamic)
- salt and pepper to taste


RECIPE:
- bring the water and bouillon cube to a boil

- in the mean time, separate the egg yolks and whites and mix the yolks with the sour cream

- peel the asparagus, cut them into short segments and reserve the tips

- when the seasoned water boils, add the asparagus cubes, vinegar, salt and cook for 7-8 minutes

- when the asparagus are almost fork tender, add the pasta and asparagus tips. Cook for another 7 minutes (or until the pasta is al dente)

- beat the egg white, add them to the hot soup and stir immediately to separate the whites into strings

- turn off the heat, add the yolk and cream mixture and stir well until the soup thickens

- serve piping hot, sprinkled with pepper to taste

- Bon app'!