Collards & Bacon

July 10, 2016
Wicked
Recipes

Updated: February 22, 2022

30 minutes
2-4
0.0

Here’s the key, steam the collard greens (or if pro-nounced correctly in wicked fashion it’s “C aw lards”), just enough to wilt and brighten the colors, then cool them and add them at the end of the cooking preparation. Just saying, if you wanna impress your gal and actually have her mean it when she says “good job hunnie bunnie” try it this way. Green means go!

Bacon? Why yes we are playing with words again by calling out the plant ‘bacon’ made with shiitake mushrooms. The historical and traditional way to do collards-n-bacon has been done with lots of fat and are severely over cooked. the thing about history is it’s just that, history, as I think I’ve seen Anthony Bordain even speak to this. It’s the future now and some things do need improving, we’re including sexy and healthy in this recipe not to mention cruelty free, clean eating good-ness.

Ingredients

1 bunch collard greens, cleaned, rinsed, stem removed and chopped to the size you’d feed grandma
8 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stem removed and thinly sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 T tamari (organic, wheat-free tamari)
1 T Earth Balance or canola oil
1/4 – 1/2 t smoked paprika
2 T sriracha, Ninja Squirrel (NON GMO)
3 T maple syrup, the real kind from up in Maine
1/2 t salt, Jacobsen’s Sea Salt, coarse grind
1 t black pepper

Instructions

In steam basket, steam chopped collards for 3 – 5 minutes just to wilt slightly and obtain that wicked pop in cooked green color. Do NOT over cook, we’re going to keep this dish fresh and vibrant green and not poop green like most Collard dishes I have seen.
In medium size bowl add sliced shiitakes, maple, ninja sriracha, salt, pepper and smoked paprika and toss well to incorporate and all mushrooms to absorb flavors.
In large saute pan, heat on medium heat, add oil – then add onions and sauté for 2 minutes stirring frequently. Add shiitake mixture and cook for 5 -10 minutes stirring frequently, then adding the collards and mixing together well to incorporate all flavors. Cook for roughly 2-4 minutes more.
Remove from heat and platter.

This recipe is part of the Wicked Healthy BBQ Takeover that we are excited to team up on with Whole Foods Market … check out Part One of the series below!

The recipe for this Collards & Bacon, featured in the video, is below. To get more of the recipes featured in the video, check out our other BBQ Takeover recipes:

Salt-n-Pepper Potato Jammers
Maitake BBQ Skirt Steaks
Cauliflower Spare Ribs
Grilled Cabbage Butt, Slawed