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Post by feather on Oct 12, 2018 17:49:58 GMT
I was under the influence of Weed, when he sent me some seeds, I think it is blue collards.  Something like that.
So I grew them and they look great even after a couple nights when the temperature dipped down below freezing. Collards are supposed to be sweeter after frost.
I kept making my shopping list and spinach turned up a few times--and I was thinking that I could use collards to substitute for the spinach. (I'm in the north, so this is alien.)
I started looking at greek recipes for spinach/feta pies, and then some game day spinach/cheese dips, and I searched out collards. It looks like many of the recipes we use in the north with spinach, the south uses collards. So Yay for me. Any advice on collards is welcome!
I'm thinking I'll clean and slice them up, cook them, chop them and then use them in the recipes for dips/spreads/and fillings.
I saw many recipes for stuffed collards greens, where they use the blanched leaves like cabbage leaves and filled them and baked them. Then I found collards sushi:
I guess there are lots of uses for collards that I never even thought of.
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Post by themotherhen on Oct 12, 2018 19:09:12 GMT
feather, the next time you make barbeque chicken or pork, make some homemade macaroni and cheese and a big pot of collards on the side. Cornbread is optional but you won't be sorry!
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Post by feather on Oct 12, 2018 20:45:09 GMT
Thanks themotherhen, Does anyone know how much freezing weather collards can take? When should I harvest them? When the temperatures are forecast for below 20 degrees F? I have no idea. |
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Post by themotherhen on Oct 12, 2018 21:00:06 GMT
feather, we had good luck with collards down to 20° as long as the soil wasn't wet and boggy. Too much moisture is what generally stopped ours, before temperature drops. They are very hardy.
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Post by feather on Oct 12, 2018 21:46:33 GMT
We picked 20 or so leaves this afternoon......washed out 2 little cabbage worms, so it will still be meat free.  I love how glossy dark green the leaves are. I'm cooking it now, then when it cools I'll chop it smaller. I'm going to make something with 'spinach'=collards and feta cheese to eat tomorrow. |
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Post by grannyg on Oct 13, 2018 2:25:14 GMT
I love to fry them in bacon grease....shred them fine
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Post by themotherhen on Oct 13, 2018 5:46:38 GMT
grannyg , my Grandma cooked collards all the time and my Dad taught me after she passed. This is what she did: You have to wash collards. Wash them and wash them and wash them again because nobody wants gritty collards. Once they are clean saute them in diced bacon, butter, onion and s+p. Add water, turn up heat to high, then reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so. If you like spicy add a few shakes of 'Slap Your Mama!' spice. Cook until collards taste good, may take 2-3 hours.
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Post by paquebot on Oct 13, 2018 16:26:45 GMT
By now it is obvious that collards are NOT anything like spinach. They are a brassica and closely related to cabbage. I've got Blue Max and Willis this year. (Friends preferred the Willis.) Blue Max all made heads which look very much like cabbage. Nobody is certain as to exactly how to handle those.
Martin
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Post by Skandi on Oct 13, 2018 16:59:29 GMT
Cook until collards taste good, may take 2-3 hours. Is that the point where you forget them, burnt the bottom and then threw them in the bin? I have never tried the things as they are not grown here, but no other cabbage thing is on my menu by choice.
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Post by feather on Oct 13, 2018 18:27:43 GMT
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Post by paquebot on Oct 13, 2018 18:31:27 GMT
Skandi, the closest you could come to collards would be cabbage leaves. Texture would be about the same. Cooking would be about the same. In fact, there are varieties which are called cabbabge collards and heading collards. They've long been considered a poor Southern food. Nartin
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Post by themotherhen on Oct 13, 2018 20:18:03 GMT
Cook until collards taste good, may take 2-3 hours. Is that the point where you forget them, burnt the bottom and then threw them in the bin? I have never tried the things as they are not grown here, but no other cabbage thing is on my menu by choice.
Skandi, maybe they are an acquired taste? I grew up eating them so they taste good to me. |
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Post by feather on Oct 13, 2018 20:19:07 GMT
Skandi, opinions are going to differ depending on the person's taste buds and the way greens are cooked. Collards are more bitter before the first frost. I'm becoming more of a fan of collards. I like spinach and chard. I've never tried kale. Here's a page describing all the different greens: www.casaschools.com/what-does-green-taste-like/
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Post by Skandi on Oct 14, 2018 9:55:47 GMT
They sound truly vile to be honest a bitter cabbage does not sound edible! But each to their own, I will just be happy they don't exist over here!
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Post by feather on Oct 21, 2018 16:16:28 GMT
I noticed this morning, a black bird out there eating collards. There are green leaves and grass everywhere, why would a black bird eat the collards? Life is a mystery.
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Post by paquebot on Oct 21, 2018 18:04:39 GMT
Blackbird was probably eating cabbage worms, not the leaves.
Martin
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Something like that.
I love how glossy dark green the leaves are. I'm cooking it now, then when it cools I'll chop it smaller. I'm going to make something with 'spinach'=collards and feta cheese to eat tomorrow.
