I like to make collard greens for brunch on the weekend.  I love making weekend brunch.  My kitchen is sunny and beautiful, my favourite radio programs are on, I have gotten enough sleep, and if everything is going the way I prefer I don’t have anywhere to go for a while.  My method for making Collard greens is kind of time consuming, perhaps because I make them under such leisurely circumstances.  This method also happens to be totally delicious.  The sausage is not crucial although if you omit it you should use the garlic.  If you don’t feel like making a roux you can skip that step and the greens are still good….but I highly recommend the roux.

COLLARD GREENS WITH ROUX AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE

• 4 quarts of salted water
• 1 or 2 bunches of collard greens
• 1 large or 2 small tomatoes
• 2 andouille sausages, diced (optional and they can be pork, turkey or chicken)
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons flour (I use bob’s red mill gluten-free flour)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• a handful of parsley, minced (optional)
• both white and green parts of 2 scallions, minced (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup home-made meat stock (or you can use the cooking water from the greens)
• about 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• a splash or tabasco sauce (optional)

1. Bring the salted water to a boil in a large pot.
2. While the water is heating, wash the collards.  Cut the spine out of each leaf and discard. 
3.  Add the leaves to the pot (it does not matter if the water isn’t fully boiled yet).
4. Drop the tomatoes into the pot, whole.
5. While the greens and tomatoes are parboiling, Fry the diced andouille in a large, heavy bottomed pan until they are browned (about 4 minutes).  Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside.
6. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water.  The skins should have cracked.  Set them aside to cool.
7. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium high heat.  Add the flour and stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the flour turns into a rich, dark brown roux.
8. All at once, add the minced onion, celery, green pepper, scallions, garlic and parsley to the roux.  Add salt and pepper, reduce the heat to medium and allow the vegetables to sweat, stirring occasionally.
9. Slip the tomatoes out of their skins, core them, mince them and add them to the cooking vegetables.  Continue to cook the vegetables, scraping the bottom of the pan occasionally until the onions become translucent (about 5 minutes).
10. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of home-made meat stock or the same amount of liquor from the cooking greens and stir vigorously. The vegetables should be swimming in a smooth sauce.
11. Drain the greens.  Mince the par boiled greens and add them to the vegetables.
12. Add the sausage (if you are using it) to the greens and season with Worcestershire and tabasco sauce to taste.  You can stew them for a while or serve them right away.
13. Servet the greens with scrambled eggs and grits.  They are also good with skillet cornbread or as a side dish for dinner.