Step aside, kale. Collards are vegetables that have large green leaves and tough stems, which are removed before eating. A staple side dish in Southern cuisine, collard greens are notable for their heartiness. Raw collard greens are bitter, but not quite as bitter as kale. Heat mellows the flavor a bit and brings out a subtle earthiness.
You can buy collard greens all year, but they taste best in the cooler months. Like other leafy greens, collards are a great source of calcium, folate, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, B2, B6, and C. Collard greens are one of the best sources of vitamin K, which is essential for bone and blood health. Of course, when it comes to the health benefits of any food, you need to be mindful of other ingredients.
Are you eating simple, slightly seasoned greens cooked with minimal fat — or are you preparing your collard greens with tons of butter, salt, and ham? Collard greens and kale both come from the cabbage family Brassica oleracea. Though they can be used interchangeably for many purposes, they are not the same thing. Many people think that kale is as healthy as it gets and it is very rich in vitamins and minerals , but collard greens actually have 18 percent more calcium. Their vitamin content is comparable, but kale does come out on top as far as vitamin K goes.
Both vegetables are quite bitter, though collard greens are slightly milder especially when cooked.
Speaking of the freezer, you can pardon collards from a trip to the compost bin by blanching and freezing for later. Wash and trim as described above, then dunk in boiling water for 15 seconds.
With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water, then lay on a towel to blot dry and place in a zipper-style plastic bag and into the freezer. One cup of cooked collards contains 49 calories and 4 grams of protein. They are one of the best non-dairy sources of calcium , surpassing an 8-ounce serving of milk. Collards boast a unique trifecta: Anti-inflammatories in the form of omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin K; Antioxidants in the form of beta carotene, Vitamins C and E and manganese; and detoxifiers in the form of glucosinolates, compounds that are being studied for their abilities to ward off cancer as well as cardiovascular disease.
Real Food Encyclopedia Collard Greens. They are also a culinary staple in the Kashmir state of India, where they are known as haakh, and in Ethiopia, where they are known as gomen and remain part of the Jewish culinary tradition, according to culinary scholar Gil Marks in his Olive Trees and Honey. Seasonal Food Guide. Eating Collard Greens Storing Collard Greens Stored in a kitchen towel in the refrigerator away from fruit that continue to ripen after picking , collards will keep for at least three days.
Cooking with Less Waste. Removing the outer leaves first allows the plant to continue to produce throughout the season. After being harvested, trimmed, and cleaned, the leaves are bunched together, bulk loaded, and packed 12 to 24 bunches per box. Approximately 2. Collard greens are No. The greens must not have coarse stems and should be free of discoloration, decay, or damage resulting from freezing, foreign material, disease, insects, mechanical, or any other means.
The popularity of collard greens and other leafy greens has recently risen due to the health benefits and convenience of prepackaged products but has also been coupled with an increase in foodborne illnesses associated with these items. Raw and fresh-cut leafy greens, such as collard greens, can serve as vehicles for pathogens that cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella , Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli STEC , Cyclospora , and Listeria monocytogenes.
Listeria has more recently become a pathogen of concern with raw produce because of its ability to grow under refrigerated conditions and persist in processing facilities and equipment. Human infection occurs via the fecal-oral route and contamination of collard greens can occur through human handling, domesticated or wild animal feces, harvesting or processing equipment, soil, or water.
Contamination and cross-contamination can occur anywhere along the farm-to-fork continuum, including growing fields; cooling, storage, packaging, and processing facilities; transportation; retail establishments; and homes.
Collard greens are typically minimally processed and can be marketed as a raw agricultural commodity, such as raw uncut, or fresh-cut produce, such as pre-cut, prepackaged, or ready-to-eat mixes.
As collard greens are frequently consumed uncooked or raw, it is especially important to employ food safety risk management practices during all steps of production and processing. Appropriate and clear labeling of collard greens products is also vital, as consumers may be unable to differentiate between products that should be washed before consumption and ready-to-eat products that do not require washing. Human pathogens that may be present on the surface of collard greens may not be completely eliminated by washing, as these microorganisms adhere to produce surfaces and may be present in areas where water cannot penetrate.
Microorganisms also more strongly adhere to cut produce surfaces than uncut ones. Due to the difficulty of removing microbial contamination, methods that prevent contamination are preferred over elimination methods. Education and training of growers and handlers throughout the farm-to-fork continuum is also important. The Produce Safety rule went into effect on January 26, as part of the U. FDA Food Safety Modernization Act FSMA and establishes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables intended for human consumption.
The U. In response to the outbreak of E. This voluntary agreement went into effect in and is the first commodity-specific food safety program to address microbial contamination in the produce industry. To participate, firms must implement minimum standard field-level food safety practices that are audited by a third-party.
Collard greens have been eaten for hundreds of years and have become a staple crop for the southern United States. Although collards are traditionally served cooked, it is increasingly common to see them served raw in salads and slaws.
They can be purchased fresh, frozen, or canned, and are often added to soups, casseroles, stir-fry dishes, and even smoothies. They are also popular in slow-cooking recipes, as the leaves stand up better than more fragile greens like chard or arugula.
The leaves can also be used for stuffed rolls and are even pureed into pesto, sauces and dips.
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