Collard Greens Salad
By Meda Kessler
Photos by Meda Kessler
We first met Sean Hill when he was manning the kitchen at Stone House Restaurant in Colleyville.
Hill is now working on a place of his own in Arlington, a restaurant he calls “a modern steakhouse” that will feature Southern influences from the Carolinas, Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas, his home state. He enjoys giving family recipes his own culinary spin, and he is planning to source ingredients from Texas ranchers and farmers. Restaurant Gwendolyn, named after his late mother, will seat around 100 and have a partially open kitchen, featuring a wood-burning grill, and a climate-controlled patio. He’s hoping for an early summer opening. His Collard Greens Salad complements any holiday meal, plus the colors look great on the Christmas table.
Collards are typically cooked until tender, but they’re excellent raw. Similar to kale, the greens need to be finely chopped (they should be rinsed clean first, even when using a “pre-washed” bagged variety). Make sure the greens are evenly coated with the dressing; we use our hands to ensure thorough coverage.
Collard Greens Salad
Serves 4
- 2 bunches collard greens, washed and julienned
- 1 Gala apple, cored and cut into bite-size chunks
- ½ cup toasted pecans, divided use
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- Cherry Vinaigrette, recipe follows
- 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
Place greens, apples and ¼ cup pecans in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with Cherry Vinaigrette and toss well. Place in serving dish and top with the blue cheese crumbles and remaining pecans.
Cherry Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup cherry juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Place all ingredients except oil in a blender/food processor and combine. Slowly drizzle oil into blender until mixture thickens. Can be made ahead of time.
