Collard Greens with Toasted Coconut and Almonds

"What would make my life complete right now is a giant bowl of collard greens," said absolutely no one ever. Collard greens just aren't one of those go-to side dishes that bring about jubilation and great cheer amongst dinner guests. On top of that, I typically suck at sides (pardon my French) so I'm tempted to say you shouldn't trust me here. Except that you should. I'm going to be real with you for a second and confess that the only reason collard greens ever even entered my kitchen was because Trader Joe's began stocking them and I purchased them out of obligation. It's like this unwritten expectation amongst those in my profession, my dietitian-duty I guess you could say. Holy smokes! But have you ever had collard greens with toasted coconut and almonds? Umm yeah. No one dare cast judgment on the lowly collard until they've given this recipe a shot.

Due to some stuff going on in our personal lives right now, the other night my husband and I found ourselves eating a 5 PM dinner of grilled cheese sandwiches at Children's Hospital. Thrilling, I know. We arrived home late and rallied the kids into bed before we collapsed on the couch to the background serenade of our growling stomachs. Our sandwiches had long since burnt off and we were both left with that empty sensation that could only be explained by our unfulfilling "dinner." My husband left my side and headed to the kitchen for a fridge raid, and to my surprise, returned with none other than a bowl of these leftover coconut collards. He looked at me and said "These are so amazing!" as he shoveled them down. So yeah, that's never happened before. I guess there are some of us who find completeness in collards.

I'm not sure if it's the coconut or the coconut oil or the almonds or the garlic that make this dish. Or maybe it's the basil? The recipe contains such an odd conglomeration of ingredients that create a phenomenal result. And please, whatever you do, do not skip the fish sauce! I know it's an uncomfortable ingredient for some. Go light on it at first if you must, but it adds an exciting complexity to this dish that one mustn't deprive the collards of. The original recipe calls for 3 bunches of collard greens but I usually just buy the bag of pre-shredded greens from Trader Joe's which I'd imagine contains substantially less collards. I bet you could get by with 1 1/2 or even 2 of the Trader Joe's bags and keep the remaining ingredient measurements the same but I like the stronger flavors in my ratio so I do it as follows:

Collard Greens with Toasted Coconut and Almonds

(adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

 

¼ cup shredded coconut 

¼ cup raw almonds 
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil 
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
1 (10 oz) bag shredded collard greens 
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves 
1 teaspoon (or more) apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon fish sauce 
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce 
Kosher salt 
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread out coconut and almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate and coarsely chop the almonds.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add collard greens a handful at a time, tossing until wilted between additions. Cook, tossing occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes longer. Add basil, vinegar, fish sauce, and soy sauce; season with salt, red pepper flakes, and more vinegar, if desired. Serve topped with coconut and almonds.

Serves 4

Zucchini Keftedes with Feta and Dill

I must confess that it wasn't until I came here to share this recipe that I finally looked up what a keftede was. I have prepared this recipe in ignorance for three summers and running now. As it turns out, keftedes are Greek and refer to fried meatballs that contain breadcrumbs, onion and mint.  Apparently these are their vegetarian counterparts, though I would called these more "pancakes" than "balls."

If you find yourself surrounded by zucchini plants that don't seem to understand the definition of "all things in moderation, " then this recipe is for you. It's not like those zucchini bread recipes (or even the cupcake recipe I posted recently) that barely make a dent in your pile of summer squash. This one actually uses a substantial amount and the result has been deemed delicious by all members of my family.

It was my husband who first dog-eared this recipe in what has become one of our favorite cooking magazines. Imagine my surprise when my meat-loving man made a move in the direction of a vegetable. Granted, they are practically fried (though I greatly reduced the amount of oil the original recipe called for and they turned out fine), but a vegetable dish all the same. I made them immediately so as not to lose his peaked interest.

Historically I have shyed away from any recipes that contain dill. It may be yours but dill isn't traditionally my jam, or at least so I thought. It could just be that the depth of my relationship with the herb goes only as far as a piece of bland and dry salmon sprinkled with the stuff and then stamped with a proud "Northwest Favorite" on the restaurant menu. But, for the undying affection of my husband, whom I adore, I decided to follow the recipe and buy and small bunch and see where it landed me. HEY! As it turns out, dill ain't so bad, particularly in this recipe where I might go as far as to say it's presence is essential.

These keftedes (or how about we call them pancakes?), unlike a lot of zucchini recipes, are packed with flavor. The feta cheese and cool tangy yogurt add a lovely finish. Of note, to create pancakes that hold together, it is important that you remove as much of the moisture as possible from the zucchini first. I find sometimes it is easier to make this recipe phases. It sounds like it takes a long time but it really doesn't. I grate the zucchini first thing, sprinkle it with salt and then let a kitchen towel absorb the moisture for a while. After an hour or so, I return to make and form the pancakes and then throw them back in the fridge until dinnertime when they can be cooked up pretty quickly to serve.

Zucchini Keftedes with Feta and Dill

(adapted slightly from Bon Appetit Magazine)

1 1/3 pounds (about 4 medium-sized) zucchini, trimmed  

1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt 
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions  
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill 
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint  
2 garlic cloves, minced  
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel  
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)  
1 large egg, beaten to blend  
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese 
4-6 Tablespoons canola oil (for pan frying)  
Plain non-fat Greek-style yogurt (for garnish)  
Additional chopped fresh dill (for garnish) 

Grate zucchini on large holes of box grater onto clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Wrap zucchini in towel; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place zucchini in medium bowl. Mix in green onions, 3 tablespoons chopped dill, mint, garlic, lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently stir in panko and egg, then feta. Using 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture for each, shape mixture into 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter patty; place on baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Pour 1 to 2 Tablespoons of canola oil at a time into heavy large skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches and adding more canola oil as needed, place patties in skillet. Cook until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using thin slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels.

Arrange keftedes on platter. Top each with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle each with dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tomato, Feta and Basil Galette

This is a summer of great celebration in Seattle and all of you gardeners know why. Tomatoes have turned their right color! In July! This has never happened. At least not in my yard. Usually, come September, my tomato plants are heavy with fruit, looking as if their vines will snap at any given moment. I grow wildly excited and begin dreaming tomato recipes and having visions of what I will do with my crop. And then, probably just days before they are ready to harvest, BAM! It comes. The rain. That never-ending soggy cloud that covers the sun here in Seattle, hiding it away until July 5th of the following year, and leaving my tomato plants bulging with a green crop and a scowling gardener.

But this year! It's like Christmas came early and the tomato bounty will finally be enjoyed. I hope you find yourself in an overabundant tomato predicament so you can give this recipe a try. It's like a cross between a vegetable and dessert, if that's even possible. The flaky crust crumbles in your mouth, a perfect pair with the sweet tomatoes and pungent feta. And the fresh basil! I best not say more lest I begin sounding awkward. 

Oddly enough, this dish tonight was inspired by a cow. You see, as we speak, my in-laws are making their way to Oregon to pick up and lug home some grass-fed beef (and by some I mean an entire cow) to give us anemic folk a boost and so the theme of tonight's meal was We-Desperately-Need-Some-Space-in-the-Freezer-so-Defrost-and-Cook-Up. If you recall, I'm a crust cheater as I mentioned in this post here. Once again, I used my very favorite frozen pie crust find from Trader Joe's (I mean, I needed to clear out a spot in the freezer after all). The crust contains no shortening and therefore is trans fat free which makes it practically a health food...or something. By using the frozen crust (which I thawed on the counter for about 30 minutes before using), I whipped out the galette in no time. I served it along with some grilled peaches, zucchini and barbecued chicken. We incidentally discovered that each bite of galette married perfectly with a slice of grilled peach. This got me dreaming of future galette combinations...thinly sliced zucchini and pancetta, prosciutto, peaches and blue cheese to name a couple.
 

Tomato, Feta and Basil Galette

(adapted from Cooking Light Magazine)

 

1 recipe pie crust

1 pint cherry tomatoes or multicolored pear tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup small basil leaves

Preheat oven to 425°.

Unwrap dough, and roll dough into a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes, cut sides up, on top of dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with feta. Fold edges of dough over tomatoes to partially cover. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, and sprinkle with basil. Cut into 6 wedges.

Serves 6