Collard Greens & Golden Chanterelles

Collards don't need to be prepared with fat and meat - they are a fantastic and versatile vegetable that can tolerate long cooking periods without falling apart.  After reading through some traditional recipes, here's my current favorite way to prepare my collards.

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch of collards 
• 5-8 cloves of garlic
• 1 white or yellow onion
• 1 cup dried chanterelles (or other dried mushrooms like shiitake, but for black trumpets or porcini, use 1/2 cup due to stronger flavor)
• 2 red Pimiento de Padron peppers (or other mildly spicy red pepper)
• 1-2 small sweet red peppers (or Anaheim)
  
• 2 Tb tomato paste
• 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
  
• water, to cover
• salt, to taste
  

Instructions:

1.  Prepare the collards by cutting out the thick ribs.  Reserve the ribs for broth or to chop into fine dice to cook as a separate dish.  Roll up the leaves lengthwise and cut off 1/4" - 1/2" strips.
2. Place all collards into pot and cover with water, turn on high heat.
3. Add vinegar.
   
4. Fine dice half onion, thin slice remaining half and add to pot.
5. Crush dried mushrooms in your hands to break up large pieces before adding to the pot, along with finely minced peppers and tomato paste.
6. Bring to a boil, add water as necessary and then reduce to simmer until broth is thickened.  You can serve with a slotted spoon (reserving the broth for other uses) or cook down until there is nearly no broth left (more goodies on the greens).

Note: this could take a couple hours on simmer.  Get this started early and let the scent fill the house while you prepare the rest of your meal.