Recipe of the week: Peppered collard greens
South Carolina chef Robert Carter has come with a tasty variation on traditional collards.
Collard greens are usually cooked until they’re limp and pale, said TastingTable.com. Traditional collards taste wonderful, but South Carolina chef Robert Carter has come up with a quicker cooking method that creates a brighter-looking side dish with “a pleasant kick.” His version makes “an ideal complement to a slew of summer mains.”
Peppered collard greens
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1½ large bunches collard greens—leaves cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide strips
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 2 tbsp brine from a jar of pickled peppers
In a saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until the fat renders and the bacon is browned. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bacon; set stock aside.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add collard greens and blanch for 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer greens to the ice-water bath. Once greens cool, drain them, place in a kitchen towel, and wring out as much liquid as possible.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, simmer reserved stock and shallot for 2 minutes. Stir in collards and cook until just heated through, about 2 minutes. Add white pepper and pepper brine and toss to coat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl. Serves 4.
Adapted from Robert Carter, Carter’s Kitchen, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Sudoku medium: July 5, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle