Stuffed Jamaican-Style Collard Greens

Upfront, I apologize for the lack-off pictures. I made this on a whim, and did not realize how great they were gonna be. At least I took this one! So these stuffed and rolled bad boys are pretty incredible. I had never cooked collard greens, so this was a great way to break into the collards world. They are pretty bitter, but I really enjoyed them – especially with the sweetness of this dish to balance it out.

The Recipe

Oven: 350 F
Cook Time: 45 minutes

For rolls:

• Collard greens – 6 large leaves, washed and prepped (here’s a helpful video – just do not chop them up at end!)
• 1 cup wild rice, cooked according to package
• 1 mango, diced
• 1/2 cup pineapple, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• Chili powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For sauce [not pictured]:

• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs pineapple juice
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp agave
• Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
• Salt and pepper, to taste

To make:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Over medium heat in large pan, cook onion, red pepper, and pineapple with a bit of olive oil or cooking spray (about 5-10 min).
• Add your cooked rice, mango chunks, and seasonings. Turn off heat and set aside.
• Sauce time! Mix all ingredients together – I used a whisk. Add some of the sauce to the bottom of a casserole dish – cover evenly and set aside.
• Prep your collard greens – once washed and ready, add to 1 pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. This will soften them up and make them much easier to work with!
• Line up your leaves and stuff with a bit of wild rice – roll ’em up! There is a great tutorial on this, here.
• Now, add your rolls to the casserole dish, fitting them in nice and snug. Add the remaining sauce to the top.
• Cover dish will foil and add to your preheated 350 F oven. Cook for about 45 minutes.
• Serve when cool!

Okay, so this dish takes a little more effort than the lazy dinners we post here… but sooo worth it! They look gorgeous, too – bright colors always. xx Bianca