April 17th, 2010 | 
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This hearty leafy vegetable brings back memories of my stepfather. He grew up in Oklahoma and a “mess of greens” were a staple on the dinner table when he was a child. Collards are one of the cruciferous vegetables and integrate more calcium per cup than milk, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. If you are one of the millions who cannot tolerate dairy merchandise due to lactose intolerance, you will be glad to learn that Collard greens incorporate 357 milligrams while one cup of milk holds 306. Collard greens likewise integrate Vitamin K which helps the calcium to keep our bones strong and healthy. One caveat: Don’t overcook Collard greens; since they are a cruciferous vegetable they will get started to release a sulfurous smell related with overcooking. This may be the reason why you never liked them. I give hope or courage to you to try them again and perchance you’ll find a new and healthful vegetable to add to your list of favored foods. Selection: You’ll find these leafy greens in the vegetable division of your store tied together in bunches. Choose a bunch which looks perky and healthful as opposed to wilted and dried out. An aged looking bunch will have a much more inviolable taste than a fresh bunch. Storage: Fresh Collards will keep in the refrigerator for assorted days, altho as with most vegetables it’s best to use them as soon as possible because nutritional value is most eminent when primary got rid of from the garden. There’s no telling how long it took them to reach the grocery store, so the sooner you use them the better. Keep the greens in the plastic bag (allow the bag to stay open so the greens may breathe) in the lower section of your refrigerator, preferably in the vegetable drawer. How to Clean: Collard greens are distinctively not very dirty from the store (as opposed to spinach which may now and again incorporate sand or grit) but you ought to still rinse the leaves. You may fill your sink with a few inches of water to dunk the leaves and remove to a colander to drain in the other side of the sink. If I’m only preparing a few leaves I’ll rinse each leaf under running water. Steamed: The simplest way to cook Collards is by steaming. Remove the stem which will be in the center of the leaves, and ordinarily white or lighter green. Place a pot on the stove, lay a steamer basket in the bottom with one inch of water. Bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce heat until the water is simmering. Place the stems in the pot original with a lid and concede to cook for five minutes. Next add the leaves. Replace the lid on the pot and grant the greens to steam until they are tender, this may take from 5 to 15 minutes depending on how some greens are layered in the pot. Since the stems are near the bottom and had a five minute head get started they ought to be done when the leaves are, but you will still want to test them for tenderness once you’ve got rid of the leaves. The easiest way to determine if the stems are done is to remove one to a plate and undertake to cut with a fork. If it cuts easily, it is done. Remove from the pot and serve with butter, salt and pepper. Skillet fried: You’ll need two pounds of greens and one pound of bacon. Fry the bacon until crispy preferably in a heavy cast iron skillet. While the bacon is frying, wash each leaf and remove the stem. Shake each leaf to remove extra water and set isolated in a colander to drain. Slice the stems one-quarter of an inch thick. Once the bacon is done, remove most of the grease from the pan, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons plus drippings (the little browned pieces). Turn the stove to medium and place the stems into the hot skillet and saute for five minutes. While the stems are cooking, slice the green leaves into one inch strips. Place the cut up leaves into the skillet, place a lid on the skillet and cook until wilted and tender, this commonly takes 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with bacon bits crumbled on top, with salt and pepper to taste, alongside a nice piece of steak, fried chicken or another of my stepfather’s favorites: fried liver. And let’s not forget the black-eyed peas and cornbread, or biscuits and bacon grease drippings gravy! Soup or stew: Another way my mother made Collard greens was to place them in soup or stew. Most soups begun with a base of onions and garlic cooked in butter or bacon grease until transparent. Next add your meat: a pound of cubed beef, chicken, pork or hamburger. Next add in 6 to 8 cups of chicken or beef broth (preferably homemade). Allow that to come to a boil and lower heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Pull out a piece of meat and check to see if it is done. If yes, add your vegetables: peeled, diced carrots, sliced celery and any other vegetable you love: zucchini squash, bell peppers, cauliflower, mushrooms, cabbage, just to name a few. Use your imagination! Prepare your greens by washing, trimming, slicing and adding to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Test for doneness by checking that your vegetables are fork tender. You may also make any of your bestloved soups and merely add the cut up greens to the soup while cooking. A super quick soup may be made by skillet frying various leaves of greens and adding the cooked greens to two cups of already warmed chicken broth. Add a clove of fresh minced garlic if you’re sentiment underneath the weather and you’ll have a tasty and nutritious quick soup which will leave you sentiment like you just ate a filling Italian dinner. Wilted salad: Prepare one pound of greens as for skillet fried, but cook them only until they are bright green and scarcely wilted. Allow to cool. Add one cucumber sliced, one tomato chopped, assorted thin slices of red onions and one clove of garlic minced with 1 tablespoon of of olive oil and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Toss together with the greens and serve as a side dish or as a light lunch. By the way, if you can’t find collard greens, you may use spinach, Swiss chard or kale for any of these recipes. The nutritional value of Collard greens vs. the others will be a little different. An added bonus may be had if you grow them in your own garden as they will be organic and free of pesticides. I hope you’ll give Collard greens a undertake soon!
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