“Everything about us is geared toward presence and appreciation. We have senses that enable us to relish sights and sounds and smells.” -- Cheri Huber, Socratic Email Class
This quote from the recent email class came to mind as I bit into my lunch burger. But let’s back up a bit….
The Monastery garden is extraordinary this year. It is popping with abundance and among the many varieties of plants, there grows the humble collard. Once I became acquainted with this green I was impressed with its lovely fan shape and thought it quite beautiful. I had no idea how far its beauty could extend.
We have been looking at bread alternatives and that is how we came to experiment with wrapping burgers in collard leaves rather than bread. This day we were having beetroot burgers with feta cheese. I looked down at the small package wrapped in green on my plate, picked it up, bit into it and Hallelujah! There are no words to describe the experience. The beet red burger surrounded by a deep, verdant green wrapping was absolutely the most beautiful thing I had ever witnessed or eaten. To add to the pleasure it was also delicious.
If you would like to give collard wrappings a try, it is very simple:
Collard Wraps
Assemble as many collard leaves as you have burgers and remove the stems. If you wish you can remove the thick stem from the middle of leaf, making a notch about 1 or 2 inches from the base.
Place in a steamer and steam over medium low heat until tender, about 3 minutes. The leaves should be bright green; do not overcook.
That’s it! Wrap it around your favorite burger or bean dip or anything else you choose and experience the pleasure of being a sentient being, geared toward presence and appreciation.
In gassho,
Sequoia