Stuffed Collard Greens with Roasted Chicken, Carolina Goat Cheese, and Black-eyed Pea Salad
Lots to do here, preparing sauces, black-eyed pea salad, and roasted chicken to fill the collard leaves. In the end, though, it comes down to simply filling the collard leaves and just heating them through in the oven. This dish has many Southern influences, from the collards themselves to the black-eyes peas, goat cheese, and chicken.
Ingredients
- Horseradish-Yogurt Sauce
- Plain Yogurt - 2⁄3 cup
- Fresh or drained bottled horseradish - 1 tablespoon, grated
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Barbecue Sauce
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Plum Tomatoes - 1⁄2 cup, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- Garlic - 1⁄2 cup, minced
- Poblano Peppers - 3⁄4 cup, seeded and chopped
- Red Bell Pepper - 1⁄4 cup, seeded and chopped
- Cilantro - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Paprika - 1 tablespoon
- Chile Powder - 2-1⁄4 teaspoons
- Coriander - 1⁄2 tablespoon, chopped
- Ground Cumin - 3⁄4 teaspoon
- Veal or Chicken Stock - 2 cups
- Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce or similar Worcestershire-style sauce - 3 tablespoons
- Dijon mustard - 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
- Tomato Catsup - 1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons
- Dark Brown Sugar - 1⁄4 cup, firmly packed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Red Pepper Puree
- Red Bell Peppers - 2 roasted
- Onion - 1 small, chopped
- Garlic Cloves - 3, chopped
- Olive Oil
- Fresh Basil Leaves - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Collards
- Collards - 2 bunches
- Apple cider vinegar - 1 cup
- Smoked Ham Hock - 1
- Red Onion - 1 large, coarsely chopped
- Tabasco Sauce - 2 tablespoons
- Chicken Stock - enough to cover collards (approximately 12 cups)
- Black-eyed Peas
- Dried Black-eyed Peas - 1⁄2 pound
- Water - 4 cups
- Salt - 2 teaspoons
- Pepper - 1⁄2 teaspoon
- Fresh Oregano - 2 tablespoons, chopped
- Balsamic Vinegar - 1⁄4 cup
- Red Bell Pepper - 1 large, diced (3⁄4 cup)
- Red Onion - 1 large, diced
- Olive Oil - 1⁄2 cup
- Chicken
- Chicken Thighs - 1 pound boneless, skinless
- Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper
- Goat Cheese - 8 ounces
Instructions
To make the horseradish sauce: In a small bowl combine the yogurt, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
To make the barbecue sauce: In a non-reactive, heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the tomatoes, garlic, poblano and red peppers, and cilantro for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the spices and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Add the veal or chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, catsup, and dark brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning for salt and pepper. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and reserve until ready to use.
To make the red pepper puree: Begin roasting the peppers by broiling on a rack about 2 inches from the heat, turning every 5 minutes until the peppers are charred and blistered (about 15 minutes total). Transfer the peppers to a brown paper bag, close, and let steam in the bag until cool enough to touch. When cooled, remove the peppers from the bag and peel. Remove the tops and discard the seeds and ribs. In a skillet cook the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon of oil over moderate heat until softened. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and add the roasted peppers, basil, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Blend the sauce until smooth and transfer to a small bowl.
To make the collards: Wash and drain the collard greens. Remove leafy parts from the thicker stems. The darker, heavier outer leaves will be used for this dish. Rinse the leaves, removing any dirt and grit. Place the collards in a large stockpot with the apple cider vinegar, smoked ham hock, red onion, and Tabasco. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the collards are tender, approximately 1 hour. Drain well in a colander, pressing with the back of a spoon to release excess water.
To make the peas: Wash and pick over the peas. Soak overnight in cold water to cover. (Or quick-soak the peas. Bring the water and peas to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Cover, remove from the heat, and set aside for 1 hour.)
Drain thoroughly. Return the peas to a large saucepan, add water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender.
Remove the peas from the heat, drain, and transfer to a mixing bowl. To the mixing bowl add seasonings, oregano, vinegar, diced red pepper, red onion, and olive oil. Toss all together. Marinate at least 1 hour.
To make the chicken: Trim the thighs of all sinew and fat. Place in a tray, toss with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 F oven for approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool, then julienne the meat.
To assemble: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Arrange the collard leaves on a work surface, being careful not to tear the leaves. Discard any leaves that have holes. Spread the leaves with 2 tablespoons of chicken, add 1 tablespoon of goat cheese, and cover with 2 tablespoons of the pea salad. Starting at the long end, carefully roll up each collard leaf to enclose the filling. Fold the ends over and square it off. The finished product will resemble a burrito. Place seam side down in a pan and place in the oven until heated through. Slice the rolls on the bias, arrange attractively on individual plates, and garnish with the three sauces.
