Ethiopian Collard Greens (aka my version of Gomen)

About a year ago my amazing friend Morgan introduced me to Ethiopian food, and since that moment I have been addicted to these greens. Luckily for us, I grow more than any two people could ever eat, so this recipe has become a staple in our weekly menu.

~This recipe serves about 3, depending on the size of your bunch.

Ethiopian Collard Greens - GF

• 1 bunch collard greens
• 1 onion, diced (I prefer yellow or sweet, but any will work)
• 2-5 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced (it's up to you how much you want to add)
• 1T spiced ghee (get the recipe here)
• water
• salt

The very first thing you will want to do is make your spiced ghee. I recommend keeping it in the freezer, where it will keep for up to a year. When you need it, simply pull it out and chop off a chunk with a sharp knife.

Next, wash your greens, especially if they are from your organic garden. Make sure to look them over closely to remove any "extras" you don't want to eat: bugs, dirt, caterpillars, etc.

Next you'll want to remove the stems. There are two ways to do this: 1) you can fold the leave in half and using a paring knife, cut along the stem, or 2) the way I prefer, hold the stem in one hand and using your other hand, grab the leaves on either side of the stem and tear them off. Once all of the stems are out, give the collard greens a rough chop.

In the mean time, over medium - low heat, sweat the onion and garlic in the spiced ghee until translucent. Make sure to add a little salt to bring some of the moisture out of the onion.

Once the onions are translucent, add your chopped and cleaned collard greens and turn the heat up to medium, add another pinch of salt and saute until wilted. Add water, about 1/8 cup at a time as needed, so they don't dry out or stick to the pan.

When the greens are wilted, turn the heat to low/medium-low and cook for at least half an hour, continuing to add water as needed. The longer they cook, the less bitter they will be. You can continue to cook these for as long as you'd like, I normally cook them from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how long it takes to prepare the rest of your meal. Make sure to taste and season with salt.

You'll see that your collard greens will wilt down to almost nothing (don't worry this is normal) and they will turn darker in color. Before serving make sure that almost all of the water is evaportated, your greens shouln't be dry, but you also shouldn't be too soupy.