This simple dish is a great way to enjoy collard greens if you’re looking for something beyond the typical stewed or boiled preparations. This dish is really similar to our Curried Mustard Greens, but with some of the delicious produce that comes out of the fields in August in place of the spices. I used a sweet Italian Pepper with a serrano chili pepper. Garlic and ginger complimented them nicely as a base for the stew.
Removing the seeds of the pepper gives it just a hint of spicy, but if that doesn’t appeal to you just leave out the pepper. When the veggies are cooked through add the lentils and water.
You can break down the collard greens while the lentils cook. Red lentils are my favorite because they cook quickly and are very soft when cooked. Remove the stems of the collard greens and roll them up. Thinly slice, then cut crosswise so that you have small bite-size pieces. (You could even cut them smaller than I did. 
When the lentils are cooked through, add the collard greens to the pot and let them steam over the lentils until cooked through. Remove the lid, and stir together. Simmer the stew until desired thickness, and serve with tabasco, greek yogurt, and cilantro.
Red Lentil Collard Green Stew serves 4 -6
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, thinly sliced into bite-size pieces
1 italian sweet pepper, diced
1 hot pepper like serrano or jalepeno, seeds removed, minced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups red lentils
6 cups water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
For serving:
Greek yogurt
chopped cilantro
Tabasco Sauce
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, peppers, and ginger. Sauté about 5 minutes until onions start to turn translucent and vegetables are softened. Add red lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered, for about 15 minutes until lentils are softened. Add collard greens and salt to the pot on top of the lentils, and cook covered for another 5 minutes. Remove lid and simmer to reduce any excess liquid. Remove from heat when stew is desired thickness. Finish soup with vinegar and additional salt if necessary. Serve with dollops of greek yogurt and chopped cilantro.
