Collard Greens

One of my favorite greens to eat are Collard Greens. They are some of the best tasting greens you will ever eat, when done the right way. Good quality chicken stock is the key here. Developing a great tasting broth to cook the collard greens in is really easy and only requires a few staple ingredients. Collard greens are a nutrient dense food. Making them a great healthy option for a side dish.

My absolute favorite part of eating collard greens is sopping up the "pot liquor" the broth, with a big slice of buttered cornbread. There are only a few things better than a big bowl of collard greens. In the South we love putting cornbread in just about anything, but let me tell you, cornbread and collard greens is the best combination. EVER!

To be completely honest, I had never eaten them until about 7 years ago when I decided I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I know, hard to believe since I am raving about how good they are. My mom is not a fan of them, so I imagine that is why I don't recall too many chances growing up to eat them. Regardless, I have learned to love collard greens. They are truly a delicious comforting dish. I have been growing them year-round in my garden ever since then. They have certainly become a staple in this Southern home.

Ham hocks are commonly used in making collard greens because they impart great flavor. Those are sometimes hard to come by, and I don't keep them in my freezer. So, when I make collard greens, I like to use a good thick smoky bacon. I think most keep bacon as a staple ingredient, right? If you can get your hands on a ham hock, you can certainly try it in this recipe.

Collard greens go great with many different dishes. I like to serve them alongside Roasted Chicken with any side of potatoes, like these roasted potatoes. They are also great when paired with pork, turkey and even barbequed meats. Just make sure to serve plenty of cornbread with them!

How to Make Collard Greens

• Prep the collards by rinsing and removing the ribs. Then roughly chop the collard greens. I tend to go for pieces that are approximately 2-3 inches. If you would like more texture in your collard greens you can keep the ribs intact, just roughly chop the entire green. The cook time will need to be adjusted so that the ribs get tender.
• Sauté bacon and onions together until the onions have browned slightly. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add in the chicken stock, sugar, apple cider vinegar and red pepper flakes. Mix well.
• Add the collard greens, cover and bring to a steady simmer.
• Simmer for 1 hour or until the collards are tender.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Think of this recipe as a guideline. You can easily adapt this recipe by adding to or taking away from it. I like the balance of salty to spice, which is why there is a little sugar and vinegar in the recipe. The vinegar is also said to help cut the bitterness that collard greens sometimes have. Removing the stems also helps remove the bitter taste. If you want more spice add in more red pepper flakes or even cayenne pepper. What are your favorite ways to serve collard greens?