braised collards (collard greens)

filed under:
kale collards stew toast toppings collard greens winter greens

Delicious recipes are included in each issue of the South Anchorage Farmers' Market Newsletter, be sure to sign up!
subscribe to newsletter via rss • subscribe to recipes via rss • subscribe to newsletter via email
download the print-friendly version of this recipe

I know my love of the heartier greens may not be shared by everyone, but this recipe is one that I think you’ll love. I really do think that you’ll be surprised by the sweetness of the greens if you make them this way—first boiled in salted water until they are tender, then braised with onions on low heat. Please give them a try—and then run back to the farmers’ market to stock up on more greens!! They just get sweeter and yummier as the season progresses.

When the rainy weather hits, I love to cook up these greens to eat on toast, or with beans or lentils on toast. I love the taste that the browned onions add to the greens—they really sweeten the greens up, so add the larger amount if you like. These greens freeze quite well—you can freeze them after the boiling in salted water step, or after they are completely done. They make a great side dish, are wonderful alongside garlic-roasted potatoes or baked sweet potatoes, on top of toast with or without beans, or as a stew (see recipes below).

4 bunches collards, long stems removed and leaves cut into 1” ribbons
sea salt or kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 onions, chopped fairly fine
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1. Plunge the greens into a large pot of boiling salted water, and cook until tender. This could take as long as 10 minutes, but could be much shorter, depending on the age or toughness of the greens. Start tasting after 5 minutes, and cook until tender. (This boiling in salted water removes any bitterness.) Reserve one cup of the cooking water.
2. Drain the greens in a colander.
3. Heat the olive oil and sauté the onions with a teaspoon of salt until lightly browned. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for another couple of minutes. Add the greens and the reserved cooking water (or use a cup of vegetable broth or bean-cooking liquid). Cook for 15 to 30 minutes on low heat, until they are lovely, soft and sweet, and taste again for salt. They can really use a lot of salt, so don’t be shy about adding it until it tastes nice and seasoned.

… on toast
Serve these greens on 100% whole wheat sourdough toast that has been scrubbed with a raw garlic clove and drizzled with olive oil. You can also add cooked beans (white, kidney, pinto, or whatever you feel like cooking) to the greens and put them on toast. Or you can layer beans on the toast, then top with the greens and a drizzle of oil. See the recipe for kale (or collards) and cabbage with white beans on garlic toast for my bean-cooking method.

… as stew
Add vegetable broth or bean-cooking water and beans to make it into a soupy stew. You could add a can of tomatoes, too.