Before I went away for awhile I posted this picture and asked my readers to guess what it was. I got all kinds of responses, from tamales to vine leaves. Those were very creative and interesting guesses, but I am sorry to inform that nobody guessed what it was, although many were close. This lunch was a spicy chicken and quinoa collard greens wrap.
It was one of those days when my fridge was getting empty and I needed ideas for something tasty, filling and healthy. Now, that is a challenge when pasta and pizza are the first options that come to mind. Fortunately I came across this recipe and that gave me the idea for this dish.
Collard greens turned out to be excellent for wraps and there are so many possibilities for fillings. This time I filled them with tinga de pollo (shredded chicken cooked in red salsa) and quinoa. To make tinga de pollo you need shredded chicken, Roma tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, chipotle adobado peppers and vegetable oil. Saute the chicken and the cooked quinoa in the vegetable oil. Blend the rest of the ingredients with just a little bit of water, the salsa has to be thick. Add the salsa to the chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
I prepared the leaves by cutting the thick part of the stalks and dropping them in boiling water until they got soft and changed color to a intense green. I then drained them. When the filling was ready I put some on the leaves and wrapped them up like burritos. I then baked them for 10 minutes with some olive oil and Parmesan cheese. It was a very delicious lunch and one that I will make again, no doubt.
Any ideas on what to use for my next collard greens wraps?
Buen provecho!
Update June 30th, 2008: I just realized I haven’t sent an entry to the food event Fat Chefs or Skinny Gourmets that I am co-hosting with my lovely friend Ivy. If you haven’t sent an entry yet, you still have time to make something healthy and blog about it. Check out the rules here.
20 Replies
What an awesome idea! I’m tamale-obsessed, so I say next time make collard-wrapped-tamales.
Posted on June 11th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Like a very big version of dolma Ben! Looks delicious and quite healthy too.
Posted on June 11th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Oh my gosh, these look incredible, Ben! What a great sub for tortillas when you’re looking to cut carbs a bit! I’m definitely remembering this one.
Posted on June 12th, 2008 at 7:25 am
What a fabulous combination! Oh, and Collards are perfect for this!
Posted on June 12th, 2008 at 8:57 am
esto si esta interesante. i love collards.. and pulled chicken… que rico! and yes, buen provecho!
Posted on June 12th, 2008 at 10:12 am
They look so tasty Ben! I’ve never ever tried to fill leaves (of any kind) with meat before but it’s so nicely presented… maybe I would use some minced pork with onions, garlic and mushrooms… what do you think?
Buen fin de semana, darling
Posted on June 13th, 2008 at 3:07 am
Oh, yeah, Collard Greens was my NEXT guess, lol.
Posted on June 13th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Now this is a unique idea. Gorgeous Ben!
Posted on June 13th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
We just made collard green wraps (as you call them) but filled with ground rice and lentils. It is called pathrado. If you are interested, I have the recipe at my place.
Posted on June 13th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Why haven’t I found you people before? I am intrigued with this recipe! I have added this site to my favorites! Thank You so much!
Posted on June 20th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
This is a great idea, Ben!
Posted on June 20th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
what a fantastic idea!
I wonder if chard would work..I have alot of it in the garden.
Posted on June 21st, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Its a very unique looking dish. Can one substitute with veggie stuffing?
Posted on June 24th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
jeje now there’s a thought, fill ‘em with tamale masa. In colombia they have tamal wrap in banana leaf, a bit differnt. Encantada de aber hallado este web amigo!
Posted on June 24th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
This is an awesome idea! I will be trying this out for sure. We have collards in our garden
Posted on June 26th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
THIS is so creative and looks super healthy! I bet you they taste great cold the next day w/ a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream.
Posted on June 29th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Fantastic! I never would have thought of collards for wraps. And I am a big fan of quinoa. I will make this, for sure.
Posted on November 8th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Thank you so much! I get collards weekly from my CSA all winter and was looking for a new way to use them. I just had this for lunch and it worked out perfectly!
Posted on February 18th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
[...] I liked the collard green wraps. I stole the idea from a restaurant in Scottsdale and then found this handy website to help with the prep. The wraps are sturdy enough to hold steak, beans, guacamole and other [...]
Posted on April 22nd, 2009 at 11:09 am
Does anyone have a recipe for mushroom filled tamales?
Posted on January 3rd, 2010 at 3:37 am
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