REC: The Collard Green Melt - what to make with some of your collards smileys/wink.gif
I ripped the page with pix for this sandwich from Gayle's column in Nov Oprah Magazine and searched to find a recipe for the Collard Green Melt at Turkey and the Wolf in New Orleans (
http://www.turkeyandthewolf.com) for the very next time I acquire collards. Gayle bragged that they ended up re-ordering this sandwich 2 more times, in-between other food, after the first share. It was that good! Colleen
The Bon Appetit Collard Green Melt - slow-cooked collards, swiss cheese, pickled cherry pepper dressing, cole slaw, on rye bread
Collards
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning (such as Zatarain’s)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 cups (packed) torn collard green leaves (from about 4 bunches)
Slaw
¼ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
¼ small white or yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/third cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (or more) distilled white vinegar
Kosher salt
Russian Dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup chopped pickled hot cherry peppers
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/eighth teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Assembly
12 thin slices caraway rye or whole wheat bread
8 thick-cut slices deli-style Swiss cheese
RECIPE PREPARATION
Collards
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add vinegar, sugar, Creole seasoning, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Add collards, tossing in liquid to wilt. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are dark green and very soft, 2½–3 hours. There should be very little liquid left—just enough to coat greens. If there is too much, cook uncovered until you have the right amount.
Do Ahead: Collards can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.
Slaw
Toss cabbage, onion, mayonnaise, pepper, and 1 Tbsp. vinegar in a medium bowl to combine. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
Season with salt and more vinegar if needed just before using.
Do Ahead: Slaw can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Russian Dressing
Mix mayonnaise, cherry peppers, hot sauce, ketchup, and pepper in a small bowl to combine.
Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Sandwich Assembly
Heat broiler (rack should be in highest position). Place 8 slices of bread on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, checking every 30 seconds, until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Turn and toast second side until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Top each toast with a slice of cheese and broil until melted and starting to brown, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a work surface.
Place remaining 4 slices of bread on same baking sheet and toast, checking every 30 seconds, until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Turn and toast second side until golden brown, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
If collard greens are cold, reheat in a large skillet over medium until hot, about 5 minutes.
Divide 2 cups slaw among 4 cheesy toasts. Top with remaining 4 cheesy toasts. Using a slotted spoon (or you’ll end up with a soggy sammy), divide collard greens among cheesy toasts. Generously spread one side of plain toasts with dressing and place dressing side down on collard greens to close sandwiches. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve with lots of napkins.
The Food Network Version - directly from restaurant? - is more heavily spiced
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/the-collard-green-melt-5524362
Collard Greens:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced fresh garlic
1 cup sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper powder
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, preferably Zatarain's
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
2 1/2 to 3 gallons de-stemmed, washed and chopped collard greens
Coleslaw:
2 packed quarts thinly sliced green cabbage
3/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably Duke's
1/4 cup shaved white onion
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
Pickled Cherry Pepper Russian Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise, preferably Duke's
1 cup roughly chopped hot pickled cherry peppers
1 tablespoon ketchup, preferably Heinz
2 teaspoons Korean red pepper powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably Crystal
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
Sandwich:
Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for the toast
3 thin slices seeded rye bread
2 thick-cut slices Swiss cheese
For the collard greens: Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant and cooked through. Add the sugar, red wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, red pepper powder, Creole seasoning, black pepper, salt and 1 cup water and cook until the flavors to meld and develop, about 10 minutes. Add the collard greens in batches if necessary, waiting a few minutes for the collard greens to begin to break down in the pot likker (the liquid in the pot) before adding the rest. Allow to cook over low to medium heat until you achieve the desired texture and the greens have an agreeable amount of salt, spice and acid, 2 to 3 hours. Let the collards cool in their pot likker and reserve until ready to prepare your sandwich. (This can be done a day or more ahead of time.)
For the coleslaw: Add the cabbage, mayonnaise, onion, vinegar, pepper and some salt to a large mixing bowl. Wearing gloves, mix with your hands, massaging the cabbage to break it down in the mayonnaise. (It should yield less than a quarter of the original volume when it's all said and done.) Taste to make sure you have enough salt and vinegar. Reserve in the refrigerator, as it tastes best on the sandwich as a cold component. (This can be done up to a day ahead of time.)
For the pickled cherry pepper Russian dressing: Mix up the mayonnaise, cherry peppers, ketchup, red pepper powder, hot sauce, paprika, black pepper and some salt in a bowl.
For the sandwich: Brush some butter on both sides of each slice of rye bread and toast on both sides on a nonstick griddle or in a large nonstick saute pan. On two slices of bread, place a slice of Swiss cheese and allow to melt fully (covering the pan or putting a dome over the bread on the flattop will facilitate the melting process).
Meanwhile, heat some greens in a saute pan. Place a handful of coleslaw on a cheesy slice of rye bread. Place the other cheesy slice of rye on top of that. Spoon your collard greens on top of that slice, being careful not to bring too much of the pot likker with them as this will make for a soggy end product. Dress the third slice of rye with a liberal slather of the Russian dressing and place it face-down on top of the collards. Cut it in half and serve.
https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/the-collard-green-melt
https://assets.bonappetit.com/photos/598b3ebb009a8002a3ad63f4/16:9/w_1028,c_limit/the-collard-green-melt.jpg
