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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 19, 2013 14:19:08 GMT -5
Greens are just not something we eat much (traditionally) here in the North. In my years of gardening I've enjoyed getting to know Swiss Chard and Kale, and this year want to try Collards, as I was given some seed for it.
Does it compare to anything taste and use wise? Is the center stem edible? I seem to see a lot of recipes that call for cooking collards for a really long time. Is this really the best way to prepare them?
Oh- and seed sowing. Best to start indoors? Wait and plant them as a fall crop? I know nothing about these greens.
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Post by kctomato on Jan 23, 2013 7:56:56 GMT -5
One can start them indoors or sow directly. They are a cooler season crop.
The stems are a matter of preference. Most cook them down till the stem or leaves are devoid of any life or nutrition softened.
They taste similar to mustard greens. The texture being slightly different. I find them intolerable even with the added bacon or ham hock.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 23, 2013 9:29:47 GMT -5
One can start them indoors or sow directly. They are a cooler season crop. The stems are a matter of preference. Most cook them down till the stem or leaves are devoid of any life or nutrition softened. They taste similar to mustard greens. The texture being slightly different. I find them intolerable even with the added bacon or ham hock. Uh-oh, intolerable doesn't sound good! Is that a texture thing or a taste thing? I'll have to start them early and grow in the spring, because I'm really curious!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 23, 2013 9:33:55 GMT -5
They taste similar to mustard greens. The texture being slightly different. I find them intolerable even with the added bacon or ham hock. LOL, and I love them. They do seem to be a love it or hate it food. Being Southern, I have not tried them any other way than slow-cooked. Maybe I should branch out at some point. I think their taste is milder than most mustards. Like many other brassicas, they taste better after a frost. While they will take a lot of heat, I don't like collards grown in hot weather. You only need a few plants just to try them and you already have the seed...I say go for it.
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Post by kctomato on Jan 23, 2013 11:30:54 GMT -5
LadyM, I jest, don't be afraid to try them at least. I wouldn't dedicate a large amount of space to them the first time. Remember: Collards and mustards have a strong sulfur component. Certain texts associate sulfur to "where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" ( one can presume from the taste of the collards). Also seems like I recall reading something about a third of mankind killed by plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur collards. I suppose those are the reasons Southerners choose to cook the hell out of it.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 23, 2013 14:35:10 GMT -5
I wonder if this may be another one of those foods (like melons and celery) for which humans have a highly variable perception of taste - maybe those sulfur compounds KC is ragging on. (Some of those sulfur compounds are supposed to be potent antioxidants - really good for you.) Collards have a distinctive taste, but to me it's not very strong, it's enjoyable.
On the other hand, raw celery is extremely strong to me and I don't like to eat it. DH says it's just crunchy and has almost no taste. Ditto with cantaloupes and honeydews...they have a strong musky taste which I dislike but DH and the kids seem not to taste anything but sweet. We just have different sensitivities to certain natural flavor compounds.
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Post by kctomato on Jan 23, 2013 17:59:24 GMT -5
sulfur compounds in alliums (onions, garlic etc) differ from those in brassicas. i suspect brassicas sulfur compounds differ amongst themselves. i like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage (raw) and will take brussel sprouts cooked or raw but not collards.
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Post by daylilydude on Jan 24, 2013 5:17:19 GMT -5
;D yes cook the h*** out of them and fry them up with some bacon then be careful eatin them cause it will make your bottom lip beat your face to death with every spoonful
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 24, 2013 9:17:18 GMT -5
LOL! This is great! And now I'm going to have to grow them twice. I'll try starting them early and planting a few out, and then I'll start a second batch to get some to last until frost and try them that way too. If I can get them to grow. I'm starting to wonder why no one grows collards up here? I've certainly never seen them at the farmer's markets. Just the grocery store where they've been trucked in and look terrible.
Okay, questions:
How much space does one plant take up? And do they bolt and go to seed easily? Up here it seems we go from spring to summer in one fell swoop. I keep missing the window to harvest broccoli raab, because one minute I'm waiting for them to get a little bigger, and the next time I look they've bolted and flowered and are inedible.
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Post by kctomato on Jan 24, 2013 12:19:27 GMT -5
I'm starting to wonder why no one grows collards up here? I thought I explained that all above? As mentioned the frost issue comes into play in the north. They can be grown anytime really but best in cool conditions. So up north, on the chance one gets a milder fall and not a quick hard freeze, would be the best season. Otherwise they will be really strong flavored. Worse than they already are. Oh and don't trust DLD! He's on pain meds and out of his mind I suspect.
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tomato
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Post by tomato on Jan 25, 2013 21:51:08 GMT -5
Don't trust kctomato either, he is a certified collard/okra/kohlrabi hater from way back. What they aren't telling you is that collards have to be grown to near mature size before cold weather sets in. Then a couple of nights in the 20's sweetens them up so they are edible. You can prepare them by breaking off large leaves near the bottom of the plant and stripping the leaf part off of the heavy midrib. Boil them for 45 minutes then add some chipped ham. Smack dld away from the table and then enjoy your collards. Note that smacking dld away from the table could be complicated, he has been known to whine when collards are to be had.
DarJones
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Post by txdirtdog on Jan 25, 2013 21:56:26 GMT -5
One reason to cook the bejeebers out of the collard greens is to get the "pot liquor". The cooking liquid is rich in nutrients and when you add a good dose of the liquid hot sauce (I'm not talking the red Mcilheny stuff, but about the clear vinegary stuff that has the green peppers in the bottle), you have some good eats on your hands. The greens themselves ain't too bad either if - as has been said - they have been kissed by frost and a good helping of crumbled crisped bacon.
Oh, and v-e-r-y important. It MUST be accompanied by a pan of corn bread. Also v-e-r-y important: no sugar in the cornbread. You've got to have the cornbread to help sop up the pot liquor from the bottom of the bowl.
I also find collards to be milder than mustards. As far as texture, after long cooking, they don't have any roughness, and I've even heard it referred to as a slickness. I don't buy the slickness description, but it might lead you in the right direction for you to imagine them.
Good luck!
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Post by izitmidnight on Jan 29, 2013 23:14:52 GMT -5
I've got 20 collard plants in my garden and all goes to the local food closet! Not a single leaf is permitted in this house. By the way, they smell atrocious cooking!!!! it is definitely a love/.hate relationship with collards. If youi enjoy eating cooked greens, give it a try.
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Post by gulfcoastguy on Jan 30, 2013 17:43:39 GMT -5
Cut the center stems out, stack the leaves into a pile, roll the pile into a cylinder, cut the cylinder into "coins" which will unroll into ribbons, brown some sweet onion in olive oil, add the collards and cook till they start to wilt, add vinegar of your choice like apple cider vinegar or pepper vinegar, cover and let steam a bit, serve while they are still just a little chewy.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 31, 2013 10:29:50 GMT -5
I love this discussion. I can't wait to find out if I love collards or hate collards. I can't seem to get enough greens lately, so I'm very eager for the growing season to commence. ;D
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Post by kctomato on Jan 31, 2013 10:53:02 GMT -5
Beware! It's a gateway green. Next thing you know you're running around looking for weeds...
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Post by daylilydude on Feb 1, 2013 6:11:10 GMT -5
Beware! It's a gateway green. Next thing you know you're running around looking for weeds... Don't know bout all that, but you will be looking to stock up on more bacon Sent from my SCH-I500 using proboards
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2013 18:43:27 GMT -5
My favorite collard recipe? Hot Ceasar salad. Brown bacon, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil. Add chiffonade of collards with balsamic vinegar and wilt to half the mass. Plate up. Quick cooking. no sulphur compound flavor and yummmmm!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 24, 2013 20:25:30 GMT -5
Ooh, that sounds good!
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desertrat
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Post by desertrat on Feb 4, 2014 11:00:58 GMT -5
I like just about any type of greens but never grew collards until I was gifted seeds from another forum, they're North Carolina collards and apparently fairly rare. I planted them fall of 2012 and they grew beautifully and actually got some frost and they were delicious in my opinion. I've eaten whatever passes for collards from the store and they were good but these tasted much better to me, maybe just because I grew them myself. I agree with others that they should be cooked until they release their pot likker and served with cornbread, preferably with a pot of beans, good basic food for sure.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Feb 4, 2014 11:29:47 GMT -5
I'm definitely going to try these again this year. I had good progress on all my brassicas last year- including the collards. Got them going early, planted them in a raised bed, and they were growing fantastically! Then we got notice we had 30 days to move, so they were lost to me for 2013.
But the brassica bed is fully planned for this year. I'm dying to try the collards with beans and cornbread. Sounds like something that would belong in the comfort food thread.
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desertrat
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Post by desertrat on Feb 6, 2014 10:24:12 GMT -5
I'm definitely going to try these again this year. I had good progress on all my brassicas last year- including the collards. Got them going early, planted them in a raised bed, and they were growing fantastically! Then we got notice we had 30 days to move, so they were lost to me for 2013. But the brassica bed is fully planned for this year. I'm dying to try the collards with beans and cornbread. Sounds like something that would belong in the comfort food thread. Beans, greens and cornbread. Comfort food for sure, if you haven't tried it yet you're missing out.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Feb 6, 2014 10:42:47 GMT -5
Beans, greens and cornbread. Comfort food for sure, if you haven't tried it yet you're missing out. Soon! I'm sure the kids won't enjoy, as they dislike beans very much, but I'm looking forward to it! And if something doesn't work out with the collards in my garden, hopefully some other brave soul will be growing them and trying to sell them at the farmer's market.
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Post by paquebot on Feb 9, 2014 1:18:29 GMT -5
That scarce North Carolina one may have been the yellow cabbage collard. They remain tender through an entire season and will not bolt, The seed also is only sold at the source and never mail order. Plants have to be stored for the winter and replanted in the spring to obtain seed. I collected a pint of seed last year and half of that will be going to Tanzania next month. If anyone wants to give them a try, will send a generous sample for a dollar or two. Message me with mailing address and I'll trust you to at least cover the postage upon receipt.
Martin
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gardencrazy
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Post by gardencrazy on Feb 9, 2014 18:02:39 GMT -5
Hi there. It seems like people from the south primarily answered, but I see you're from WI! I'm another northerner. I started growing collards two years ago. Why didn't I start growing them sooner!!??!! I put them in Memorial Day weekend and I pick, and pick, and pick, through the first few frosts, through the first snow that melts. I think we finally had a few nights below 15 degrees that finally killed them. I was picking well into December. If you like Brussels sprouts, broccoli,and kale, I think you'll like collards.
I do steam them for about 15-20 minutes first. Then cook them with a little olive oil, onion, and garlic, just until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent. If I have it, I'll throw in some crumbled bacon or chopped prosciutto and a little diced hot pepper.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2014 20:02:14 GMT -5
i love cooked collards, usually sauteed, but actually prefer tender fresh smaller leaves raw with rice and a bunch of other greens, some cooked some raw. definitely it is better if the plant has gone through mild frost. i haven never eaten the center stock, just the leaves.
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Post by meandtk on Mar 10, 2014 23:48:30 GMT -5
Considering the mild winters on the Gulf Coast, I wonder if they could possibly be a virtual perennial. Any clue?
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Post by bestofour on Mar 11, 2014 8:11:21 GMT -5
Does it compare to anything taste wise? yes, dirt.
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Post by daylilydude on Mar 11, 2014 8:13:07 GMT -5
Considering the mild winters on the Gulf Coast, I wonder if they could possibly be a virtual perennial. Any clue? I have no clue, but if I lived there and they could, I would make some fancy eatin shrubs out of them...
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Post by meandtk on Mar 11, 2014 12:59:07 GMT -5
Maybe I'll try, or ask some old timer at church. One of them used to supply okra and collards To the area goceries. Off topic, but one day he picked 15 five gallon buckets of okra to sell fom his garden!
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