COLLARD GREENS
Easter is fast approaching, and I’m sure many people will make a large Easter ham. Here’s a simple recipe to make the most of your leftover ham bones, or you can cook it whenever you feel like it using a smoked Ham hock. Collard Greens can be made in a snap. The leftovers reheat well and are a delicious side dish for any meal. Collard greens are a staple of Southern cuisine and my favorite side dish!
What are Collard Greens?
Collard greens, or cruciferous vegetables like mustard and cabbage, are super-hearty and green. The dark, smooth leaf can be eaten raw or simmered until tender.
The low-and-slow cooking method is used to make these classic collards. This allows the leaves to become soft and easily digestible, and the flavors deepen as they simmer in a mixture of chicken broth, ham, and aromatics. This is a delicious and comforting green you can serve with any meal.
What type of ham should I use?
The ham adds a rich, savory flavor to the collards. You’ll want seconds. The smoked Ham hock is inexpensive and provides a lot of flavors. You can use the ham bones from a ham roasted, salted pork or Pancetta. It would help if you always chose a ham with a bone.
Do you want to use something other than the ham? It’s no problem. You can also make vegetarian collards using the same recipe as our Vegetarian MUSTARD GREENS.
COLLARD GREENS: What to Serve?
Collard green is a staple of southern soul food. They are often served with other comfort foods such as BBQ chicken, ribs, macaroni, cheesy potato salad, and cornbread. Just typing this makes my mouth water!!
Ingredients
One lb. chopped collard greens ($2.99)
One yellow onion is $3.07
Four cloves of garlic ($0.32)
1 Tbsp of cooking oil ($0.04)
1 smoked ham hock* ($1.50)
4 cups chicken broth ($0.64)
1 tsp sugar ($0.02)
1/4 tsp red crushed pepper ($0.02)
1/8 tsp freshly crushed black pepper ($0.02)
Instructions
Remove the stems from the collard leaves and chop them into pieces of one to two inches (or buy pre-chopped, bagged collards). Place the collards in a strainer and thoroughly rinse.
Garlic and onion should be minced. Add the garlic and onion to a large soup pot along with the cooking oils. Over medium heat, sauté the onions until they are soft and transparent.
Add the ham hocks, sugar, peppers (red and black), red peppers, and chicken broth. Stir to combine.
Put a lid over the pot, and let it simmer. Turn the heat low, cover the pool, and simmer the green for an hour.
Taste the greens after simmering them for an hour to see if you have reached your desired level of tenderness. If not, simmer longer.
Remove the ham and remove the meat. Chop up the ham and stir it into the greens.
Serve hot with your favorite meal! Serve with your favorite dish!
