Last Saturday my friend, Edye, decided to treat me with some regional cajun food from her childhood. She brought over something called Tasso, a spicy smoked pork that is so flavorful it is amazing. She brought some deer salami with cheese and jalapenos…and she brought something that I absolutely fell in love with, Collard Green Jambalaya.

Collard greens can be tough and strongly flavored but this dish was just perfectly balanced with collards, rice, and bacon. While I rarely suggest canned vegetables, my friend says that the canned works much better than fresh in this case. This makes a wonderful side dish or even a light main course. Feel free to substitute andouille or other meat for the bacon.

Regional foods are the heart of America, I think. Foods like this are not only amazingly good but they are usually easy on the budget.

Collard Green Jambalaya

• 2 cans seasoned collard green
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 lb bacon
• 2 cups rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water

1. Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and crumble.
2. Drain all but 3 tbs of the bacon. Saute onion until tender
3. Meanwhile drain the collards and press out the remaining liquid as much as possible.
4. Stir into the onion and add the bacon.
5. Add the water and chicken stock and bring to a boil.
6. Add the rice, cover, and reduce heat.
7. Simmer until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Serve with hot pepper sauce.

Serves 6-8

image: marye audet