It’s about to get real Collard-y on this site. I can’t help it when I have access to an Heirloom Collard Variety Trial in my backyard. Projects like this are a chefs dream but also an unsettling reminder that our food system is whack and void of variety and flavor.

My immediate inclination around something like this is to immediately select and pair the perfect leaf with the perfect dish. So I have set out to do just that. This week a group of chefs went through the field and tasted each variety raw to make notes which I’m using to create dishes around. Who knows if what we like in the garden is the same out of the kitchen? I’m excited to take the not-so-great tasting ‘raw’ varieties and see how they do once cooked. But let’s be honest, with a good potliker any of these greens would be winners and it’s just pretty freaking cool to be able to be picky and choose what kind of collard I want to use for what! Things just got exciting.

Up first, Sopa de Fuba, a Brazilian collard green, cornmeal, and sausage soup. This is a perfect example of how to take what is grown or produced around you and put to use. I have decided to use the Georgia Southern Variety for this soup. In the field we liked its level of bitterness and chewiness so I knew it hold up well to a soup that needed some cooking time.

When using local ingredients it’s important to note that technique supersedes a recipe. When you are working with locally grown small farm products, you can’t necessarily apply the same type of cooking to everything. Oftentimes when these products are treated the same as commercial, they are a disappointment because they don’t perform the same way. In these instances technique is what needs to be adjusted because the flavor is so worth it.

The Dudley cornmeal is toasted in a dry pan until light brown and it starts to give off a sweet corn aroma. This is put aside to be added later.

The sausage is then browned and removed so onions, peppers, and garlic can be added. The sausage is then added back to the pot with stock and the collards and allowed to cooke for a bit before adding a mixture of tempered eggs with the cornmeal. Everything simmers for about 30-45 minutes.

Then it is ready to serve. Because this particular collard variety tasted good raw in the field I wanted to use it raw on the finished soup for an added layer of flavor. So I gave them a little drink of date vinegar and olive oil before finishing the soup.

Sopa de Fuba- Collard Green, Sausage, and Cornmeal Soup (cornmeal helps to thicken the broth. This recipe is adapted from the traditional recipe)

Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup cornmeal
2 tbsp. canola oil
6 oz. kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/4″ slices
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
7 cups chicken stock
8 oz. collard greens, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat cornmeal in a pot or skillet over medium-high heat and cook, swirling pan constantly and using a wooden spoon to keep the cornmeal moving, until lightly toasted and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Transfer cornmeal to a bowl; set aside.
2. Heat oil in pot and add sausages; cook, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate reserving oil and set aside.
3. Add onions, peppers, and garlic to the pot and saute until translucent and slightly browned.
4. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the collards and reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, about 20 minutes. Stir in reserved sausages and cook, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
5. Place eggs in a medium bowl and add the toasted cornmeal mixture; whisk until smooth.
6. Ladle a small amount of hot broth to the egg cornmeal mixture to help bring the temp of the eggs up. Return mixture to pot and stir until incorporated; cook for 1 minute more and season with salt and pepper.
7. Ladle soup into serving bowls and garnish with raw collards; serve hot.