Collards, Cod and Quinoa

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INGREDIENTS

2 large bunches collard greens, washed, stemmed and coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced and mashed
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 8 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cherry bell pepper. seeded and diced or 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 smoked ham hock
1 teaspoon capers, minced and mashed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 quart chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound cod or haddock fillets
6 cups cooked quinoa
Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated

PREPARATION

Clean the collards carefully, they tend to be dirty. Some people go so far as to run them through a clothes washer. That seems rather extreme to me. I suggest just several changes of water in a large pot and a final rinse under running water.

Prepare the vegetables and place them in a large cooking pot with all but the last two items (the cod and quinoa). Collards are stemmed, or stripped of their leaves, simply by pulling the stalk (which tends to be tough) through pinched fingers.
Bring the pot to a boil over a medium flame, then lower to a slow simmer, cover and allow to cook for two hours or so. Collards are fully cooked when they melt in your mouth. This is not novelle cuisine.

Remove the bay leaf and ham hock from the pot. Skin the hock, chop the meat and return it to the pot.

Turn up the flame a bit and add the whole codfish fillets. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Let the pot sit for 10 minutes or so to finish cooking the fish.

Serve over cooked quinoa with freshly grated Parmesan to top.