"I grew up in North Carolina, and a lot of the foods that we ate as kids, like okra and collard greens, are really African in origin," says Hubert Des Marais. The collard dish here is called sukuma wiki ("to push the week") in Swahili, because Kenyans commonly eat it to stretch more expensive ingredients, like meat. More Greens Recipes
How to Make It
In a large enameled, cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion and jalapeño and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, collards, bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the collards are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the jalapeño, bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Season the collards with salt and pepper and serve.