Abesha Gormen (Ethiopian Collard Greens)

YIELD: 4 servings

1 lb. fresh collard greens, washed
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 tsp. finely chopped ginger
1 green chili pepper, sliced (optional)
Dash (1/8 tsp.) turmeric powder
Dash (1/8 tsp.) ground cinnamon
Dash (1/8 tsp.) nutmeg
2 cups water
salt and pepper, to taste

1.  Strip the leaves from the stems of the collard greens. Coarsely chop the stems and set aside. Finely chop the leaves of the collards and set aside. Pour the olive oil in a large pan and heat over medium heat, about 1 minute, or until it turns hot.

2.  Saute the chopped collard green stems, onions, and red bell peppers about 4 minutes, until they turn slightly soft. Add the remainder of the ingredients and cook about 20 minutes, constantly stirring until the greens are tender and the liquid has absorbed.

Recipe: Wilbert Jones   Photo: Kendall College/Eric Futran