collards suggestions? around the world?

[alkapal]

i made a batch of collards, and simply salted and boiled them (later adding a couple of smoked sausages, but which sausages really didn't flavor the collards too much at all).

i want to divide up the big batch, and eat the collards various ways: asian style, caribbean style, mid-eastern, north african, south african, south/central american, even southern style (my default setting...) (traditional or "new southern" style). whatever. (do europeans *do* collards?) what about the aussies?

please give me your favorite ways to eat collards. how do i tweak the flavors now, and what do i serve *with* the collards?

[Sam Fujisaka]

A general Asian stir-fry technique: cut up the stems, stalks, and tough veins and stir fry those first with the longer cooking stuff. Cut the leafy part bunches in inch to two wide widths, and toss in right at the end.

[alkapal]

my challenge to fellow hound eat_nopal has been stricken. will anyone let me know what are the "OUTSTANDING Ethiopian, Portugese & Mexican versions of Collards" he said were SO superior to sourtherners' collards?

[tmso]

I can give you a rough recipe for a collards-based minestra, although I doubt you'll find it superior to southerners' collards. Just as good, maybe.

Mince some fatty cured pork (pancetta, salame, whatever), let its fat render over medium heat in a pan with a bit of oil. Add two chopped red onions, two whole cloves of garlic, some chopped parsley and cook until the onion gets translucent. Chop your great big bunch of collards, add half to the pan, and cook for about five minutes, stirring from time to time. Now that they've reduced in size somewhat, add the other half and any more oil you might need. Cook them another good 5-10 minutes like this -- this is where you build up the basic flavors. Add a glass of white wine, simmer that mostly off, add three or four handfuls of soaked large white beans, some rosemary or thyme if you've got it, hard cheese rind if you've got it, a few peppercorns, some salt, and cover with water by a few inches. Simmer until the beans are done, adjust for liquid and salt -- what you want is a fairly crowded soup but one that clearly has some broth -- fish out any branches of rosemary or visible garlic cloves. Serve in bowls as a pasta course. Getting the cheese rind in your bowl is good luck.

Oh, and sorry for the crazy measurements, but that's how my mind works :-)

[Eat_Nopal]

Whad'daup Yo

Ethiopian - Ye'abesha Gomen
Portugese - Caldo Verde
Mexican - So many excellent Collard dishes from Eastern Mexico (where they are usually referred to as Acelga de Campo... Wild Chard)... one of my favorites would be sliced Collards & chunks of Venison... dressed up with an Achiote-Pumpkin Seed recaudo placed into Mixiote pouches and cooked inside a Clay cazuela.

[streetgourmetla]

Brazil and Portugal-couve
Brazil also does the Portuguese caldo verde.

A receita para couve
http://www.maria-brazil.org/couve_a_m...
facil e bom

[alkapal]

wa'sssuuuup eat-nopal!

thanks, i'll work on these things, esp. i'm curious about the "dressed up with an Achiote-Pumpkin Seed recaudo placed into Mixiote pouches and cooked inside a Clay cazuela." mixiote= Pouches made from Agave "skin" ? (that'll be a little tough to find, that and the venison....)

this mexican-english food lexicon list is quite nice: http://rollybrook.com/lexicon.htm

ya'abesha gomen: http://www.ivu.org/recipes/african/yeabesha.html
this one looks better, with a touch of ginger and chile pepper: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Yeabesha-Gomen-Collard-Greens-104783

emeril's caldo-verde: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/em...

[Eat_Nopal]

Yes.... Mixiotes are hard to find you can use Oven Bags or Parchment Bags instead... just add some banana leaf, nopales or hoja santa to compensate for the lack of the Mixiote natural flavor.

[sarah galvin]

My favourite recipe for kale (which I'm sure would be great for collards) is to marinate in coconut milk overnight and put on the grill. They are outstanding. You can add a pinch of cayenne and salt to the coconut milk.

[alkapal]

ok, now i have a fresh bunch of collards, but uncooked. just cleaned and stripped of the central stems.

eat nopal challenged us southerners recently with a charge that others around the world do "better" with collards. i say "bring on your favorite recipes."

btw, please tell me, along with your recipe(s), what to serve alongside, including condiments.

the collards are waiting in the bowl, uncut and uncooked, with glorious anticipation. please help me out here.....

[1stmakearoux]

First, get a meaty ham bone, shank, or a couple of hocks boiling along with a chopped onion. Let that cook until falling off the bone. Meanwhile, roll up the collards into a tube shape and slice in one inch pieces. when the meat is ready, add the greens and a couple of red potatoes cut into pieces. Let it all simmer for an hour or so. Serve with hot pepper vinegar. This is a great side dish to go with pulled pork. "Greens 'n' "Q."

[alkapal]

yeah, the pork fat option is my "southerner" default. i've never added 'taters too, though.

[jazzy77]

Make the "southern" collards with the ham bone (or cheat like I do and just throw in some bits of country ham into the potlikker). Then, instead of white vinegar as a condiment, use a balsamic reduction. Holy smokes, that's good.

[alkapal]

hmmm, balsamic reduction....

jazzy, normally, i'd just toss on some texas pete's pepper vinegar sauce. will try your idea! thanks.

still waitin' for eat nopal to "put up or shut up"..... {;^D

[WCchopper]

I use " Better Than Bullion Ham Base" and siracha, lots of siracha....

[jazzy77]

Well, I have to agree for TP's pepper vinegar sauce is pretty awesome on collards too (and fries, tater tots, fried fish, kale....), but that's for everyday. The balsamic redux is for fancy meals - or collard competitions, apparently. :-)

[laliz]

Collard Squares

Total time: About 1 1/2 hours

Servings: 12

2 large bunches collard greens

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes

1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons butter plus extra for the baking dish

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 pound shiitakes, stems removed, caps finely diced

1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

8 large eggs

8 ounces Comté or Gruyère cheese, grated

1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1. Remove the tough stems from the greens and wash the leaves well in several changes of cold water. Place them in a large pot and add the hot pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Add water to cover by several inches and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the greens are very tender, about 1 hour. Drain well and cool slightly, then squeeze dry and finely chop.

2. While the collards are cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sprinkle lightly with one-fourth teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the shiitakes and the tamari and sauté until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

4. Combine the collards and shiitakes in a bowl. Add the eggs, cheese and bread crumbs and mix well. Spread into the prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes. Cut into squares to serve hot or at room temperature.

Each serving: 188 calories; 12 grams protein; 8 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 12 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 167 mg. cholesterol; 478 mg. sodium.

[kilercow]

here's a recipe for sukuma wiki - east african dish that can be made with collards or kale or any similar green: http://www.congocookbook.com/meat_rec...
Try eating it with ugali or chapatis (recipes available on the same site)..

[lgss]

Masamba is eaten in Malawi and other countries in Africa. Steamed collards or kale (we cut it in narrow crossways strips after removing the center rib) served with potatoes topped with a mixture of peanut butter and salsa.

[The Old Gal]

I assume the potatoes are boiled..if not, how would you cook them?
Could you possible get a little further into how you make the "mixture of peanut butter and salsa"? I am intrgued.

[lgss]

We cook the potatoes in the pressure cooker so with a small amount of water with an "anti-scorch device", more steamed than boiled. The mixture of peanut butter and salsa is just that...several spoonfuls of peanut butter and pour salsa straight from the jar, mixing to determine preferred ratio.

[The Old Gal]

Thanks, I'm trying this one!
I love to try foods I have never heard of before and this one sounds like a winner.

[Sam Fujisaka]

Sukuma wiki is often made without meat, and as kcow says, is made out of all sorts of greens in eastern Africa. I like versions with a bit of m'chuzi mix and nothing else.

[alkapal]

sam, does this sukuma wiki look about right? http://passionfruitandmangos.blogspot...

[Sam Fujisaka]

Wow! How 'bout that...complete with Royco M'chuzi mix.

[tmso]

Iberians eat them as well, check out Portuguese caldo verde, for example. You don't see much collards in European cooking, although plenty of kale, of course, which is a close relative.