Crispy Collards

Crispy is important, classic is important, monotony needs to be examined occasionally because we can often find something exciting buried in the debris of what we have already dismissed. It has been a long time since we fried a chiffonade of anything and even longer since we thought it was a good idea. It was a surprise to both of us when I suggested we revisit this classic, if not dated, garnish. We are putting the finishing touches on a summer soup and we were looking for a bit of texture. The soup pairs cornbread and collard greens. The soup itself is flavored by the cornbread, the garnish is collard greens: stems cooked as barigoule, leaves lightly sauteed, and crispy filaments as the final touch. It was a great technique to remember and revisit.