A cool season vegetable, collard is a cultivar of cabbage (Brassica oleracea or Wild Cabbage), and a member of the cabbage family (Brassica), which is a genus of plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae). Most people just refer to them all as cole crops or cabbages.Brassicas play a major role in the human diet. Collard greens are perhaps the best loved vegetable in the Southern regions of the United States. Black eyed pea and collard greens are a big part of Southern regional cuisine, and are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day with hog jowl or ham for "good luck" and "wealth." Originating in Europe and mentioned as early as the 1st century, cabbage family dishes were on Roman and Greek tables long before they graced Southern US tables! The collard plant may also be referred to internationally as couve, berza and Raštan. Collards are sometimes called tree cabbage.
Collard greens can be planted in the early spring for a summer harvest and can tolerate warmer weather as the summer progresses; and they have their very best flavor once it frosts on them in the fall. You may plant again in midsummer (early August in the South) for a fall and early winter harvest. Collard greens are an excellent choice for the fall and winter garden, and can be grown in northern areas as well since collard greens are frost tolerant.
Most varieties of collard greens take between 60-75 days to maturity.
How to Plant Collard Greens
If you choose seeds, sow them 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep. Thin the seedlings to at least 6 inches apart. When they get a little bigger and look like they’re crowding each other, harvest whole plants to leave around 11/2 feet between plants since they grow quite large at the base. If your garden is in traditional “rows”, allow three feet between them. It’s easy to plant collard greens from transplants. Choose sturdy strong plants, dig your hole deep enough to comfortably fit the roots, bring the dirt up around the roots and pat down firmly. Then water well.
Hybrid Varieties of Collard Greens
· Champion
· Georgia LS
· Vates
· Flash
Harvest and storage of Collard Greens
Generally, if you “crop” or break off only the tender leaves in the area of the third leaf from the bud from each plant, or crop the larger leaves of each collard plant once the plant reaches 10-12 inches tall, it allows new leaves to continue developing for a continuous harvest. However, some people harvest the whole plant at one time. The very bottom leaves are usually too tough and thick to eat.
You may store collards in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Wrap them in moist paper towels and place in a sealed plastic bag. You may also blanch and then freeze collard greens, as with most vegetables. When you're ready to cook them, soak your green leaves in water so the worms or bugs will float off. Then wash thoroughly under running water to get rid of all dirt and grit, and be sure to inspect each leaf (top and backside) for any stray insects that may be left.
How to Cook Collard Greens / Southern Collard Greens Recipe
To cook collard greens, first see the washing ritual above. Put your washed leaves together in a bunch and cut or twist into manageable smaller pieces. Put your greens into a large pot and fill with water to the tops of the collard greens. Generally, it takes 45 minutes to one hour to boil them to a tender state. They’re usually cooked with some type of seasoning meat and they taste great with pickled pepper vinegar as a condiment. Drain your collards before serving, but don’t throw away your juice. The collard juice contains a large portion of the vegetable’s vitamins and minerals, so save it to use as a soup base or drink it! Southerners call collard juice “pot likker.” It's a personal choice whether to boil or steam the whole leaf or to chop them up before serving. In the South, they're generally chopped. You may freeze leftover collard greens too - many people put the frozen collards into a frying pan on medium heat to thaw them and call them fried collards.
Collard Greens Nutrition
Antioxidants and phytochemicals are abundant in collard greens, just as in other cabbage family vegetables. That means collard greens may help to reduce risk of heart disease and cancers. They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and beta carotene. Many Southerners swear that collards are the best prescription for a good complexion.
Per ½ Cup Cooked Collard Greens
Calories 56
Protein 1 gram
Dietary fiber 2.9 grams
Carbohydrates 2.5 mg
Dietary fiber 0.4 mg
Calcium 74 mg
Vitamin A 2,109 IU
Vitamin C 9 mg
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