Quick Collard Greens With Merguez Sausage And Couscous Recipes

EASY COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Combine collard greens, bacon, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a stock pot. Pour enough water over the greens mixture to cover completely. Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook at a simmer until the greens are tender, about 2 hours.

QUICK SOUTHERN COLLARDS

Steps:

• Place the bacon in cold 12-inch skillet. Heat the pan over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crispy and the fat is rendered. Once crispy, set aside on a paper-towel-lined plate. To the leftover bacon fat, add the red pepper and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stack the leaves of collards and roll tightly into a cigar shape. Then chop away.
• Add the collards to the pan along with the apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper and cook until tender, but still bright green, 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Toss with the reserved crispy bacon and serve.

QUICK COLLARD GREENS WITH MERGUEZ SAUSAGE AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring large pot of salted water to boil; add collard greens and boil until soft, about 2 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Cool greens slightly and cut into 1-inch strips.
• Place sausages and 1/2 cup water in heavy large skillet. Cook over medium heat until water evaporates and sausages start to brown, about 12 minutes. Continue cooking until sausages are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes longer, depending on size of links.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in another heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add dried crushed red pepper and next 3 ingredients; stir 1 minute. Add greens and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in currants. Add reserved 1 cup cooking liquid to skillet; bring to simmer. Partially cover pan and cook until liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Stir cilantro and butter into hot couscous; divide among plates. Top with greens and sausages.

MERGUEZ AND LAMB COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place lamb in a deep kettle (preferably one with a steamer attachment on top). Add onions, rutabaga and fennel. Season with salt, and add 4 quarts cold water (it should cover the ingredients), black pepper and ginger.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place couscous in a large bowl, and cover with cold water. Mix thoroughly with your hands to break up lumps. Transfer couscous to a steamer attachment with fine holes (if you do not have one, try a colander), and drain the couscous into a separate bowl. Then, transfer couscous to the original large mixing bowl, and let sit 15 minutes.
• Break up the couscous again with your hands, and return it to the steamer or colander. Place the steamer over the simmering lamb and vegetables. Cover and let steam for about 15 minutes.
• Return couscous to a large bowl and, when it is cool, grease your hands with the olive oil and mix the grains thoroughly, breaking up any lumps. Do this several times, adding more oil.
• Return couscous to steamer, and place over simmering meat and vegetable liquid, covered.
• When meat has cooked for 45 minutes, add carrots, raisins, chickpeas and merguez. Taste broth for seasoning. Add more pepper if necessary (withhold salt until the end). Simmer for another 20 minutes. (At this point the stew may be set aside to cool, scraped of any surface fat, and reheated before serving. Place couscous in a large bowl and cover with a damp towel.)
• When ready for final cooking, place stew over a medium-low flame. Place a couscous-filled steamer on top, covered. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Taste for seasonings before serving.
• Place a mound of couscous on a warm plate. Cover with meat, vegetables and broth. Serve with hot sauce, like Tabasco, on the side.

COLLARD GREENS WITH WHITE BEANS AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place beans, onion halves, carrot, thyme and rosemary sprig and bay leaf in a large pot; cover the beans with 1500 ml of water. Crumble in the vegetable cube, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame; simmer about 30 minutes over low heat until the beans are nearly tender. Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid. Discard all of the other solids. Set aside.
• Sauté sliced onion and garlic in butter and olive oil for 6 minutes over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Add the collards and cook, tossing, until slightly wilted.
• Add half of the reserved bean cooking liquid, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the collards are tender, about 50 minutes.
• Add the beans, sausage and the remaining bean cooking liquid to the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the lime zest and juice. Season with pepper.

COLLARD GREENS WITH SAUSAGE AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Wash collard greens, taking care to remove all grit. Remove and discard hard stems. Roll up greens in small bunches; cut crosswise into thin strips.
• Heat dressing in Dutch oven or small stockpot on medium heat. Add sausage, onions, garlic and crushed pepper; stir. Cook 4 to 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender, stirring frequently.
• Stir in broth. Add collard greens; stir. Simmer on medium-low heat 25 to 30 min. or until greens are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar; cook 5 min., stirring occasionally.

GRILLED MERGUEZ WITH HERBED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place couscous, oil, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add 3 cups boiling water, cover with plastic, and let stand 5 minutes. Remove plastic, fluff couscous with a fork, and let cool 15 minutes. Add chopped herbs, tossing to combine; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter.
• Preheat grill for direct-heat cooking (medium-high on a gas grill). Brush grates with oil. Grill sausages, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to platter with couscous. Drizzle with oil and scatter with herb leaves; serve.