Fusion Friday - Couve Fritters

Couve Fritters  

For Fusion Friday I thought I'd combine my husbands culture with mine. We both grew up eating tons of couves/collard greens. So I thought I'd add a little soul food flair to a Portuguese pastel dish. When I was a little girl I remember my grandmother by the stove making her usual pastels with what was left over from dinner the night before. Typically it was meat from carne assada or chourico from a cozido. Crispy outside and warm and soft inside. I tried it with some greens and it turned out excellent! Here's how I did it. 

Makes 10 fritters

Ingredients

1lb potatoes – peeled and cut into large cubes 

1/2 cup milk

3 tbsp butter

1/2 sweet onion – chopped finely

3 cloves garlic – chopped finely

1lb collard greens.(or any greens you love. I added half Swiss chard)  Stems and ribs removed. Chop coarsely.  

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp paprika

1/2 cup olive oil

Boil potatoes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add milk, 3 Tbsp of butter and s+p to taste. Mash the potatoes. Cover and set aside in a clean large bowl.

In a large deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute onions until softened then add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute more. Add the greens and 1/2 cup of water. Cook the collard greens for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain. 

Add the cooked collard greens to the potato mixture and mash together to combine really well. I use the best kitchen tool I have, my clean hands! 

In a separate dish combine flour with paprika and s+p to taste. Spoon out a large spoon full and form into a patty. Dust each patty with the flour.

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven skillet or whatever you like to fry in. When oil is ready carefully place your patties into the oil. Let them cook for 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. 

Very simple to make. Hope you enjoy! :)