Grilled Collards

I've been playing with a new trick that I'm not entirely pleased with yet, but which is coming along: grilled greens.  In tonight's case, it was collards.  It's pretty dang simple: take a big, leafy dark green veggie like kale, collards, bok choy, or chard, spray it with olive oil from a pump sprayer (or the good old Pam can) and toast the leaves briefly on the grill, until they wilt and develop little browned spots all over.  They take on a nice toasty, nutty, smoky flavor and make for a nice side salad with whatever else you're grilling.  It's also wicked quick - you can cook a whole head of collards while you're waiting for the grill to preheat for the main dish.

I think I toasted the collards a bit much tonight.  They were sort of crispy and crumbly, which was interesting but oddly reminiscent of eating sushi nori.  I'd probably dial back the time they spent on the grill to about 45 or so seconds, just enough to wilt and mark them.  And then I'd get off my lazy ass and cut out the central rib on each leaf, because while it's useful while flipping the leaves, it doesn't really soften much. 

They're quite tasty with nothing but olive oil and a sprinkling of flaky salt on them, but I might try a simple viniagrette sometime.  Give it a shot and let me know how it goes.