Southern-Style Rice Bowl

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 450°F. Fill a medium pot with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Fill a small pot with water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Separate the collard green leaves from the stems; discard the stems, then roughly chop the leaves. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Medium dice the sweet potatoes. Cut out and discard the core of the cabbage; thinly slice the leaves. Quarter, core, and thinly slice the apple. Roughly chop the pepper. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling. 

Place a large, rectangular piece of foil on a work surface. Place the chopped collard greens and garlic in a bowl. Add half the vinegar, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of water; season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Transfer to one side of the foil. Fold the other side in half over the seasoned greens. Fold the three open edges inwards to completely seal the packet.

Place the diced sweet potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer on one side of the sheet pan. Place the foil packet of seasoned collard greens on the other side. Roast 22 to 24 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven. Carefully transfer the foil packet to a work surface. Just before serving, carefully open the packet. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

While the vegetables roast, add the rice to the medium pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, 17 to 19 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Add as much of the chopped pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; stir to combine. Cover to keep warm.

While the rice cooks, in a large bowl, combine the sliced cabbage and apple, mayonnaise, and remaining vinegar. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

While the slaw marinates, carefully add the eggs to the small pot of boiling water and cook 6 to 7 minutes. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water 30 seconds to 1 minute to stop the cooking process. When cool enough to handle, carefully peel the cooked eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the cooked rice topped with the roasted sweet potatoes, cooked collard greens, slaw, and seasoned eggs. Enjoy!