Cooked Greens Salad with Flattened Meatballs

Makes about 4 servings (maybe 3-ish…)

Flattened Meatballs
1 lbs misc. ground meat (½ lbs beef, ½ pork, for instance)
½ red onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced (reserve a small amount for the salad)
2 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between palms
4 basil leaves, minced
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper

Salad *
1 large bunch of collard greens, cleaned
1 tsp olive oil or reserved pan drippings
½ red onion, sliced into thin strips
Reserved garlic
1 tbsp water
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

Meatballs

In a large bowl, mix all the meatball ingredients together with your hands. Form the meat into 12 meatballs. Flatten them into oblong patty shapes.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the flattened meatballs until they are browned on both sides. If possible, only turn the meatballs once. When cooked, drain the meatballs on paper towels.


Salad

Slice the collard greens across the ribs into strips that are about a ½ inch wide.

Heat a large lidded pan over medium high heat. Add the oil or pan drippings. Add the onions and cook until the onions are soft, but not browned. Add reserved garlic and stir fry for about 30 seconds. Add water and collard greens. Lightly stir or toss to coat the greens. Cover and turn heat to low. Check the greens every minute for doneness. They cook quickly. They are done when they have slightly wilted but are not soft. We’re looking for a salad feel here…

Immediately remove the pan from heat and immediately plate the greens onto salad plates so they stop cooking. Salt and pepper the greens to taste.

Arrange three of the flattened meatballs onto each plate of greens.

Eat.


* Sometimes, collard greens are hard to find. The salad works well with salad greens or spinach, too. Just don’t cook them. You’ll need a dressing. Thinned yogurt, some pan drippings, and salt/pepper sounds good.