What's so good about collard greens

Interesting, because I almost always use a bit of Marsala when I do chard. Haven't tried that with collards, must have been a blind spot.

In the past few years, I have discovered the overall good thing about adding sweet wine to cooking. I've replaced honey and red wine additions to tomato sauce with straight, sweet wine. Sweet wine does so well alongside bitter greens of all sorts, hot peppers, soy, and on and on. Judiciously, of course.

If you think they greens are too tough, or the flavor too coarse, use the balnching technique I suggested.

As for turnips, I'd be happy to never see or smell another as long as I live.

Robert, a few day ago I did a lamb shoulder roast on my grill, and under the lamb I placed a Pyrex 9x13 dish of chopped root vegetables. included were a couple medium size turnips. I also had parsnips, small "new" red potatoes, and carrots, Placing the veggies under the lamb allowed the meat juices to intermingle with the olive oil I had moistened the veggies with. I also added some of the kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, rosemary and garlic mixture I had coated the lamb with. WOW! if you haven't had roasted turnips, done to a "fair thee well" and tasted the sugars that are set within, then I strongly recommend you try them that way.

I really like this recipe:

Saute some onion, garlic, and smoked sausage. Deglaze the pan with Sauternes.

Slice up some collards (a chiffonade) while reducing the Sauternes sauce, and then add the collards to the pan.

Cook about half an hour or more, until the collards are tender. Remove the collards and drain, and once again reduce the sauce.

Finish with red pepper flakes and some balsamic vinegar.

Elegant!

F

I really like this recipe:

Saute some onion, garlic, and smoked sausage. Deglaze the pan with Sauternes.

Slice up some collards (a chiffonade) while reducing the Sauternes sauce, and then add the collards to the pan.

Cook about half an hour or more, until the collards are tender. Remove the collards and drain, and once again reduce the sauce.

Finish with red pepper flakes and some balsamic vinegar.

Elegant!

F

It's close to one of my preparations. I use Madeira. But I don't need to cook the collards for half an hour--maybe 20 minutes, and I suppose you mean paprika, which is what I use with the vinegar.

I have no idea where I got the recipe.

Well, Thomas you want it a bit hot -- so I meant peperoncini, the dried pepper flakes.

Recently I have been using hot paprika and that is nice too, in a subtle way. I have 3 kinds of paprika in my cupboard -- smoked paprika for paella and Spanish food, sweet paprika (what most people seem to mean by paprika) and hot paprika. Which do you mean?

Also in Southern presentations collards and other greens are often served with pepper sauce, which is basically a bottle of vinegar with lots of little hot peppers floating around in it. Gives greens a real tangy taste.

Frank

In the past few years, I have discovered the overall good thing about adding sweet wine to cooking. I've replaced honey and red wine additions to tomato sauce with straight, sweet wine. Sweet wine does so well alongside bitter greens of all sorts, hot peppers, soy, and on and on. Judiciously, of course.

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I sure intend to do so soon. Collards is "soul Food" and this is a soul food recipe. that to me means worth a try.
http://www.soulfoodcookbook.com/vegetables.html#basic

I bet a little pimenton (the smoked paprika) would be a nice way of incorporating some of the flavor that bacon would bring.

Recently I have been using hot paprika and that is nice too, in a subtle way. I have 3 kinds of paprika in my cupboard -- smoked paprika for paella and Spanish food, sweet paprika (what most people seem to mean by paprika) and hot paprika. Which do you mean?


Frank

Is there such a thing as sweet paprika???

Just kidding, I meant the sweet stuff, really only for color. The sausage I use is hot and spicy enough.

I bet a little pimenton (the smoked paprika) would be a nice way of incorporating some of the flavor that bacon would bring.

How about that stuff you had in SB, Stuart?

That's it, pimenton.

I did not grow up eating any kind of greens, but I love collard greens now.
The only thing better is beet greens, but those are lots harder to buy.
Both of the above have a natural saltiness, and collard greens manage to be kind of sweet and meaty tasting too. All I do is rip out the central rib with my bare hands if it's tough, and steam. Then I add lemon juice and that's it.

The only thing better is beet greens, but those are lots harder to buy..

Not where you live. The beets I bought in Berkeley were always so fresh that the accompanying greens were used for cooking as well.

The only thing better is beet greens, but those are lots harder to buy..

Not where you live. The beets I bought in Berkeley were always so fresh that the accompanying greens were used for cooking as well.

Not sure if I would say beet greens are better than collards, but they do share the pantheon.

I'm overly excited for this winter.

My wife and I erected a small greenhouse so that we can grow produce both in winter and in summer. We have already started escarole and arugula for the winter crop. Next week we start chard and maybe beets. We have to wait until spring to start collards again--they don't do well starting at any other time of year, and I really have no idea why that is so.

I'm overly excited for this winter...My wife and I erected a small greenhouse so that we can grow produce both in winter and in summer..

I was always excited by 'winter foods' in the Bay Area because it meant dates, pomegranates, and citrus fruit. But I can't say that I was ever excited about it on the East Coast. Good for you!

I'm guessing it must be pretty special to pull something out of the Central New York ground in December and January and have it be delicious!

I'm overly excited for this winter...My wife and I erected a small greenhouse so that we can grow produce both in winter and in summer..

I was always excited by 'winter foods' in the Bay Area because it meant dates, pomegranates, and citrus fruit. But I can't say that I was ever excited about it on the East Coast. Good for you!

I'm guessing it must be pretty special to pull something out of the Central New York ground in December and January and have it be delicious!

We shall see. Of course, it won't be coming directly out of the ground. Raised beds inside the greenhouse, but close enough.

My biggest concern is whether or not we will have periods of snow that will prevent me from getting into the greenhouse! But Keuka Lake is not a generally heavy snow area, so it would be only temporary if it does happen.

I've got thermometers all over the place out there, inside and outside the greenhouse, to keep me informed over present and yesterday temps. It's like a little exploration project.

My biggest concern is whether or not we will have periods of snow that will prevent me from getting into the greenhouse!

Sounds lovely

Seriously though, good luck with the experiment!