Zesty And Zippy Tangled Collards

1. 1

   A note on bread crumbs: I like to use Melissa Clark's technique for transforming dried bread into crumbs. She grates the bread using the grating blade on her food processor which creates a blend of coarse and fine crumbs. It's a great way to use dried-out bread.

2. 2

   Prep all of your ingredients, and have your mise en place set up. Mix together the pickled peppers, lemon zest, and Parmesan. To prep the collards: Fill a sink with cold water. Holding each leaf by the stem hanging vertically over the sink, use a sharp chef's knife to cut the leaf from the stem so you get 2 leaf halves. Don't fret if a small amount of the leaf center stays attached to the stem, just discard it and move on. Swish the leaves in the sink to remove dirt. Working in 4 or 5 batches remove the leaf halves from the sink, giving each a shake to remove most of the water -- the remaining water will help to steam the greens. Stack the greens on a cutting board so the cut ends are on one side. Starting at a narrow end, tightly roll the leaves. Cut into crosswise shreds, about 1/8-inch thick (no more than 1/4-inch thick).

3. 3

   Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan or skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering add the bread crumbs and stir to evenly coat with the oil (there will probably be a few crumbs that don't get oiled, which is fine). Stir frequently to continuously until most crumbs are dark golden brown. Transfer crumbs to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan.

4. 4

   Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring continuously, until garlic is fragrant and just starting to turn gold, about 30 to 60 seconds. Add the collard greens and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss the collard greens, then cook, tossing the greens occasionally until they are wilted and tender, and the water has evaporated. This will take 5 minutes or less. Add the pickled pepper, lemon zest and Parmesan mixture. Stir to incorporate. Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper if needed. Spritz with lemon juice then either transfer to a serving dish or divide onto dinner plates. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and about half of the bread crumbs; pass the remaining crumbs or save them for another use. Serve immediately.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.