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zenobia Moderator

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Posted: 17 March 2008 06:39 pm |
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so i should be eating collards. they taste like really bitter and thick grass. how does one go about preparing them when the only other food stuff a person can use is olive oil, any spices (except table salt), other dark green leafy veggies, and animal protien? (and no, i don't not eat ham hawks). really, ANY suggestions would be great.
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Nir Senior Administrator

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Posted: 17 March 2008 07:56 pm |
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Thanks for this opportunity to educate myself. After a bit of Googling it turns out that what you call collard greens we in the UK simply call greens or spring greens. I eat them all the time, I just wash and then microwave them. When I get lots of them in at once I attach the leaves that show signs of going purple or yellow first. The inside leaves are the brightest and the sweetest. I tried eating them raw but they're softer and sweeter once cooked. Not only are they tastier than their relative, the cabbage, but they're healthier too.

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zenobia Moderator

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Posted: 20 March 2008 03:35 am |
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so just plain old microwaving? do you have them in water or anything? season them? do you eat the stems?
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Nir Senior Administrator

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Posted: 20 March 2008 12:31 pm |
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| I first wash them by immersing in water and then remove them from the water but they are still dripping wet and that seems to be enough water to microwave them in. I eat the stems which are also tasty. When cooked, it tastes a bit cabbage-like but sweeter. Sometimes (rarely, to be honest) I season them (with a spice mix): if I'm going to do that it makes sense to chop slice or tear them into smaller pieces
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Seabiscuit New Member

| Joined: | 19 February 2008 |
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| Posts: | 33 |
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Posted: 28 March 2008 01:15 am |
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Funny this one should come up now. I've only just discovered collard greens myself...tried them at "Cracker Barrel" and actually liked them enough that I googled around for recipes and tried a few.
The one I like best is probably a concern for those watching their salts...but I don't fall in that category.
I use a stainless steel stew pot, and cook about 1 c of chopped sweet onions (I like Carzalia sweets best, but they can be hard to find) in 1 Tbsp butter till slightly browned. Then I fill the pot 1/2 full with water, add a Tbsp salt and the cleaned, trimmed greens (about 6 cups). Boil till tender (I've gone 45 minutes, probably less at low elevation). Optional, add about 1/4 c bacon bits and/or 2 Tbsp "liquid smoke" flavor.
I am actually finding myself craving these! Way better than spinach. I'm cooking some as we speak.
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pris New Member

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Posted: 4 April 2008 08:15 pm |
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i love these, I just chop them up, you can add bits of onion or garlic powder. I use garlic powder, pepper, or something like ms dash, you can use a tiny bit of olive oil or butter, but I mostly use Pam cooking spray to make it have less fat, I sautee it till firm adding small amounts of water so that they sort of steam, they are really good cooked cause they are a bit bitter, I suppose you can add them to a salad, and add your favorite dressing. Just remember the more you cook greens, the less essential vitamins etc there are. Just cook till tender. I love the stems
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Beth Senior Member

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Posted: 9 May 2008 01:05 am |
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It's ham hocks. Collards can be wonderful, but the Southern way is not the healthy way. You wash them and tear them from the stems. Then you boil water and put salt, sugar, and bacon grease in the water and add the greens. You can also add ham hocks. Ham hocks are these bony looking things with ham in them. They add great flavor. Collards are served with fresh creamed corn, fried pork chops, corn bread, and anything else unhealthy you can add to the meal like chocolate cake or lemon ice box pie. You also need lots of butter on your corn bread and iced tea sweetened with sugar.
I am now eating my collards in Dr. F's ETL anti-cancer soup. Dr. F. considers collards to be a superfood. Since I am trying to lose weight, I can't cook Southern Collards. I have given up the Southern way.
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zenobia Moderator

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Posted: 9 May 2008 02:30 am |
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yeah, i have heard that they are great for you... and oh man, southern food. i have mixed feelings. my grandpa was from alabama... grandma "northernized" everything (though we did eat a lot of creamed corn...)- cornbread was never served "spicy"- it was always sweet with kero syrup on it (note "northern" doesn't equal healthy!). can't stand okra, collards... well.... yeah.... ham hocks, not so much. but i would give just about anything for some of that fried chicken and pecan pie (i fell madly in love with true alabama pecan pie when i went to my at the time fiance's mom's house in AL).
seriously, pecan pie is heaven on a plate.
wish collard greens tasted as good.....
beth- lol- yeah, i realized i had the spelling completely off about a week after i posted it. i was wondering when someone would catch it! ha!
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Beth Senior Member

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Posted: 9 May 2008 11:11 am |
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| I've really had to work on my head regarding Southern food. I learned to cook that way and when I stopped, I felt like I wasn't much of a cook. I have to admit, healthy food just isn't as tasty. However, I got tired of wearing all that good food around my waist.
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