Lentils and collards with bacon*

As this year’s collard greens are just beginning to look like collards, I broke out some of last year’s to make dinner.  I bought scallops from a friend whose husband is a commercial scalloper, and I planned to pan-fry them in a little butter.  To go with them, I made a stewy combination of the collards, lentils, and some bacon ends.

Last fall, I froze the collards after parboiling them, so they were partially cooked, and you can use any ordinary frozen collards in this recipe.  If you want to use fresh collards, give them a steam, a boil, or a microwave to soften them before you use them — otherwise they may come out leathery.

Lentils and Collards with Bacon

3-4 strips bacon
1 large onion, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups frozen collard greens (or fresh, parpoiled or microwaved until soft)
1 cup lentils
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken or meat stock
salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce to taste

1. In a pan big enough to hold everything, cook the bacon over low heat until most of the fat has cooked out and it is starting to crisp. Remove the bacon and drain it on paper towels. Take all but a couple teaspoons of the bacon fat out of the pan.

2. Add the onions and garlic to the bacon fat and cook, stirring often, until the onion wilts, about 5-8 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the bacon. Add the collard greens, lentils, and bacon to the pan and continue cooking a couple of minutes.

3. Turn the heat up to medium and add the wine. When it has mostly evaporated, add the stock and enough water to cover the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer until the lentils are soft, 20-30 minutes. As they cook, keep checking to see that there’s enough liquid. If they look dry, add more water or stock.

4. Season with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.

You might also enjoy:

1. Collards and bay leaves in lentil soup* A perfect winter meal. Lentil Soup (makes a big pot, enough for at least 1 T. vegetable oil (I use canola) 2 onions, chopped 3 cups chopped collard greens 6...
2. Trout, collards, and clams in Provençal-style fish stew* Kevin caught a small trout, and I augmented it with clams and a few scallops we had leftover from Monday to turn it into a meal. Provençal Fish Stew 3...
3. Black-staining polypore with bacon and collards I made this dish this way only because I didn’t feel like taking a trip to the supermarket.  It was bacon, garlic, collards, and the polypore, sauteed and then cooked...
4. Collard green “risotto”* We harvested the first of the collard greens today.  The leaves are big and hardy, and they need to cook for quite a while.   If you use more tender greens...
5. Turkey stock in pressure cooker lentil soup My first pressure cooker experience! Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup (serves four as a main course) 3 strips bacon, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 4-5 celery stalks, chopped 6-8 cloves garlic,...