Collard Greens: A Cold-Weather Veggie Still Tasty in Summer

Though considered a cold-weather vegetable, collard greens are available at the farmers market this time of year, too.

A staple of southern cooking, the humble collard green is a favorite in our house year round. Collard greens are rich in soluble fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid and potassium. Six ounces of cooked collard greens contains just 75 calories or so.

Collards hail from the Brassica oleracea family, the same group that gives us broccoli and cauliflower. The collard is the from the acephala variety, meaning "without a head."

Traditionally, collard greens are quick braised with smoked pork or turkey leg, onion, vinegar, salt and black pepper. They can also be served blanched in salads or even shredded and stir-fried.

The leaves can be a little sweeter during the colder months so at this time of year I add tomato juice ( I make my own using heirloom Brandywine) and bacon to my recipe to help sweeten the pot. The leftover cooking liquor from collards is like liquid gold when used to add flavour to other dishes. Take the leftover liquor, reduce it down and use it whenever a good vegetable stock is needed.

The recipe I like to use for collard greens, I have developed over the years. The addition of tomato juice takes away the slight astringency of the collards and adds depth of flavour. Smoked bacon, sweet onion and a pinch of smoked paprika finish the job making this a perfect recipe to serve with corn on the cob, ribs and baked beans at a family BBQ.

Cornbread is a must have with this recipe for mopping up the cooking liquor; you will see what I mean when you make this delicious southern style treat.

Quick Braised Collard Greens                       

Serves six (approx 170 calories per serving)

Ingredients

2 lbs collard greens

12 oz smoked bacon (cut into ½ inch pieces)

2 cups Sliced Vidalia Onion

4 cups tomato juice

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Sea salt

Coarse ground black pepper

Directions

1. Wash the collard greens, making sure to remove any dirt (I wash three times).
2. Dry in a salad spinner or on paper towels.
3. Remove the stem that runs down the center of the leaf
4. Stack five or six leaves on top of each other, roll into a cigar shape and cut into 1 ½ to 2 inch pieces.
5. Heat a large stockpot, add bacon and cook on medium heat until most of fat is rendered out and it is starting to crisp.
6. Add onions and cook until they start to brown.
7. Add half of the prepared greens then half of the tomato juice and repeat, making two layers of each in the pot.
8. Cover and bring to a boil
9. Once boiled, remove lid, stir to coat the greens and reduce heat to medium.
10.  Stir the pot every couple of minutes to make sure the collards are getting basted in the cooking liquor, bacon and onions.
11. Once the leaves are tender (about 10-15 minutes) stir in the paprika and season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Remove the cooked collards to a serving plate and reduce the cooking liquor by half.
13. Pour reduced liquor over the greens and serve.