Collard greens...?

Question

any information on collard greens? how they are grown, picked, cooked,ate? cultural values???

Answer 1

Answer #1 is correct from a traditional american standpoint and they are delicious. As someone who did not grow up with them, they are one of the things I fell in love with when I lived in the South.

In Indian and African cuisine, you can find recipes for collards as well.

They are very nutritious and yummy as well!

Answer 2

WOW first answer was an artical.

They are grown like leaf lettuce.  harvested by breaking off the tops and allowing to regrow.  During the year you can harvest alot from one plant.

Wash twice. Boil  for 25-30 minutes. run under water until cool.  Chop up.  add olive oil to fry pan-table spoon or so.  add 1/8" pcs of salt pork to oil and fry for few min. dont let the salt pork burn.  Leave or remove the pork and add the greens.  cook until heated.  serve with viniger and onion

corn bread is best or a nice hard italian.

good luck

Answer 3

Depends on your area.. best planting seasons are early summer or fall..If you use seeds they can be sprinkled over soil and covered, watered, best time is late evening or early morning when the sun isnt hot..if you use collard plants(small)... poke hole n soil put plant in, pack soil around it..water... RECIPE..wash with water, a little dish detergent and salt to remove sand,dirt or parasites..cut them up..precook a hamhock or any smoked meat or fry som bacon save fat, add salt& red pepper flakes to taste(color)..for more flavour add a red or green chili pepper whole or broken...If you DONT like it spicy remove chile pepper before serving and use only a pinch of pepper flakes..taste before you cook all the way thru for doneness and flavour..take about 45 minutes...if greens were large leaves..add a lil baking soda to tenderize...Collard green are an ethnic food of black people..they are also high in iron.

Answer 4

Those are one of my rare HATE foods. I cannot eat them!

Answer 5

The traditional way to cook greens is to boil or simmer slowly with a piece of salt pork or ham hock for a long time (this tempers their tough texture and smoothes out their bitter flavor) until they are very soft. Typically, greens are served with freshly baked corn bread to dip into the pot-likker. Pot likker is the highly concentrated, vitamin-filled broth that results from the long boil of the greens. It is, in other words, the "liquor" left in the pot.

According to folklore, collards served with black-eyed peas and hog jowl on New Year's Day promises a year of good luck and financial reward, hanging a fresh leaf over your door will ward off evil spirits, and a fresh leaf placed on the forehead promises to cure a headache.

Collards are best eaten fresh. Come winter, if you have large quantities left in your garden, freezing is the best way to preserve them. Like all vegetables, collards must be blanched before freezing. If not, the leaves will become tough and flavorless upon thawing and cooking.

The blanching time for collard greens is 3-4 minutes per pound.

In a blanching pot or large pot with a tight fitting lid, bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil.

Meanwhile, wash collards, trim stem ends and cut into 1-inch pieces or leave whole.

Blanch no more than one pound at a time. Add collards to boiling water and immediately cover with a tight fitting lid.

Start timing immediately and blanch for 3-4 minutes.

Prepare an ice water bath in a large 5-quart container or the sink.

Remove collards from water with a slotted spoon or blanching basket.

Emerge in the ice water bath for five minutes or until cooled. If you do not have ice, use several changes of cold water or running cold water. Remove and drain.

Pack cold collards in zip-closure freezer bags or freezer containers. Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing bags.

Label and date each container or bag. Immediately place in the freezer, allowing an inch of space around each container until it is frozen. Freeze for up to one year at 0 degrees F. or below.

Blanching water can be used over and over again. Add more water if necessary. Remember to always bring water back to a rolling boil before blanching more vegetables.

Recommended Varieties

Champion (60 days to harvest; dark green; long-standing, compact plant; good cold tolerance)

Georgia LS (75 days; wavy leaves; slow to bolt)

Vates (75 days; low growing plant with smooth leaves)

Flash (73 days; hybrid; early; long, dark green leaves; slow to bolt)

Recipes

The bitter flavor of cooked collards is enhanced when served with vinegar. Flavored vinegar such as chili vinegar or the vinegar from pickled peppers is especially good. Also use onions, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and crushed red pepper to season collards.

Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Traditionally, collards and other types of greens, are cooked with bacon fat or ham hocks, which adds too much fat and salt to the greens. To retain desired flavor with less fat and salt, try this variation on an old southern recipe.

1 smoked turkey drumstick (about 1 1/4 lb.)

2 quarts water

2 lbs. fresh, young collard greens

3 cloves garlic

1 large onion, chopped

2 hot chili peppers, seeded and chopped

2 cups chicken stock, canned or homemade

Heat water to a boil and add turkey. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours, or until turkey is almost tender. Drain and reserve cooking liquid. While turkey is cooking, pick through collards, removing yellow leaves, thick stems and large central veins from leaves. Fresh greens can be very dirty. Wash greens in several changes of cold water. Run the sink full of water, add the greens and wash the greens by swishing them through the water one handful at a time. Make sure all of the grit and dirt are removed from the greens before cooking. The final rinse should leave no grit in the bottom of the sink. Stack the wet greens and roll into a scroll. Slice crosswise into thin strips, or chop. Bring chicken stock to a boil. Add greens, garlic, onion, peppers, and turkey. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes. Stir greens from the bottom as they cook down. Continue cooking until greens are tender. Depending on maturity of collards, cook 30 to 40 minutes.