Potato and collard green hash

Mise en place

This is what I made after getting home from a midterm that I didn’t feel that great about. By the time I finished cooking, I had gotten over it (the midterm, not the dish). The dish turned out warm and hearty, and would be perfect as a side with brunch or dinner. For me, it just ended up being my post-exam 10 PM dinner. And as a bonus, I finally figured out how to cook collards in a way that I enjoy them…cook them for a loooong time. 

This could be made vegetarian by using vegetable broth and omitting the bacon.

Potato and collard green hash
Serves 2-4
Source: adapted from New York Times Health

Hash

Ingredients
1/2 large bunch collard greens, stemmed and washed
Salt to taste
1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (or 2 small), sliced thinly in half-moons
2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
About 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
4 small to medium Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
2 Tablespoons crumbled bacon

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill another bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the collard greens. Blanch for 4 minutes, then transfer to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Drain and squeeze out extra water and chop coarsely. Set aside the cooking water.

2. Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a wide, lidded skillet or Dutch oven, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the collard greens. Mix together for a few minutes, then add about 1/2 cup of the broth. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often and adding more broth occasionally, so that the greens are always simmering in a small amount of liquid.

3. While the greens are cooking, add the potatoes to the pot with the cooking water. Bring back to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, allow to cool slightly, and cut into large chunks.

4. Uncover the greens, and add the potatoes. Using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon, crush the potatoes and mix with the greens. Add 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil, crumbled bacon, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir over lower heat until the greens and potatoes are well combined. The potatoes should not be like mashed potatoes, just crushed and intermingled with the greens, like hash.