Discover the history of this region →
Couve à mineira is a tangle of collard greens sliced into ribbons as thin as threads, then flashed in a hot pan with garlic. It is the bright green, slightly crunchy side that cuts through the richness of feijoada and grilled meats. It is naturally keto and takes less than 5 minutes to cook.
Per serving: 121 calories · 2.2 g net carbs · 4 g protein · 10 g fat (calculated from the ingredients)
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch collard greens (about 14 ounces)
- 2 slices bacon finely diced (optional)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash the collards and cut out the thick center stems. Stack 5 or 6 leaves, roll them up tightly like a cigar, and slice crosswise as thinly as you possibly can.
- If using bacon, cook it in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add the olive oil and garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant but not brown.
- Turn the heat to high, add all the collards and the salt, and toss constantly with tongs for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the greens turn bright green and barely wilt.
- Serve immediately, while the greens are still vibrant.
Notes
Nutrition
About This Dish
Couve is the Portuguese word for collards and related cabbage-family greens. Thinly sliced and sautéed with garlic, it is one of the standard partners of feijoada, along with farofa, orange slices and rice. Its name points to Minas Gerais, a state famous for its farmhouse cooking, where greens from the backyard garden appear at almost every meal. The bitterness of the greens and the acid of the orange are said to balance the richness of the pork in feijoada. Many cooks in Brazil still slice couve by hand at the table on feijoada day.
This recipe is from The Ultimate Brazilian Keto Cookbook by Gisele Costello, Chapter 8: Vegetables & Sides (Iguaçu Falls). See all Brazilian recipes