Pan Fried Collard Greens (Couve a Mineira)

Pan Fried Collard Greens with garlic, bacon, and seasonings that is served as a side dish for black beans stew and any other dish of your choice.

Have you ever woken up in the morning craving something?

Well, today is one of those days – at least for me.

I am craving pan fried collard greens or couve a mineira. Does it sound boring?   Just wait, you’ll see!

The recipe below is simple but very satisfying.  In Brazil, it’s often served as a side dish for feijoada (black beans stew), Brazilian national dish.  It’s called “À Mineira” because it’s a dish originally from Minas Gerais, a State in Southeast Brazil.

At my table, however, it is also served as a side dish to accompany Garlic Roasted Pork Loin (sort of my take on the Portuguese dish “Carne de Porco em Vinha D’Alhos”)  and Cheesy Mashed Cassava with Coconut Milk and Cilantro.

By the way, it is also one of my hubby’s faves, too.  Need I say more?

Time to go to the kitchen and , as we would say in Brazil, “pôr as mãos na massa” which loosely translated means “get to work!” (literally translated, “get our hands in the dough.”). Enjoy our pan fried collard greens with garlic and bacon.

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Collard Greens a la Mineira

Pan Fried Collard Greens with garlic, bacon, and seasonings that is served as a side dish for black beans stew and any other dish of your choice.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 3 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 2 bunches collard greens or kale
• 6 strips smoked bacon diced
• 1 large shallot minced (optional)**
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1 tsp Knorr chicken bouillon powder** optional
• **These ingredients are not part of the traditional recipe. They were added by me to make the dish tastier.

Instructions

1. Wash the collard greens or kale under cold running water. Shake to remove the excess water. With a sharp knife or your hands, cut off the leaves from their tough stems. Gather them together into piles. Take each pile and roll it tightly. Cut them into thin strips crosswise (about 1/4-inch strips).
2. In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Place the trimmed leaves in a colander. Pour the boiling water over the leaves to slightly wilt and then drain well to remove all the added liquid (you can shake the colander or press down gently on the greens with a spoon).
3. Cook the diced bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until there are no more pink, white, or translucent areas on the bacon. If necessary, add 1 Tbsp oil to sauté shallot with garlic, stirring often, until they are lightly browned.
4. Add greens and salt, pepper, and the bouillon powder. Cook, stirring often, for about 2 to 3 minutes or until greens are tender but bright green.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve.