The collard greens grown in my area are hardy and tend to be tough. To make rolling easier, I cut off the stem at the base of the leaf and trim the back spine. Once trimmed, I blanch the leaves and then plunge them in cold water to stop cooking. The blanched collard leaves are more flexible and less prone to snapping while rolling.
For the filling, I used a 1/2 recipe of Mujaddara. Drop about 1/4 cup of the filling onto the leaf, then shape the filling into a log. Fold the sides over and roll the leaf up from the bottom, encasing the filling. Bake them, covered, in a small amount of liquid such as water, stock, or collard blanching water for about 40 minutes. I served them with Awesome Mushroom Sauce. A splash of hot sauce is nice, too.
makes 12-16 rolls
1/2 recipe Mujaddara
1 recipe Awesome Mushroom Sauce
12-16 collard green leaves, washed
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup water, stock, or collard braising water
Fold each side of the leaf over, then fold the bottom edge over the filling and continue rolling. Place seam-side down in a large roasting pan. Continue with the rest of the leaves.
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice