Recipe: Savory Sautéed Collard Greens

Hi! I'm Collard Greens!

"I'm a vegetable with large, dark green, edible leaves. I come from the same family as mustard and cabbage and the same species as broccoli and cauliflower, but collards don't have a head!"

History & Etymology

• Collard plants are believed to have originated thousands of years ago in the Eastern Mediterranean region. It is one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. 
• Enslaved people from Africa grew collards in gardens in the South to provide them with extra nourishment. They were a hearty garden crop that could be grown year-round, surviving through the winter cold and summer heat. Collard greens are a southern staple. 
• Some black people have used collard greens to symbolize Southern and African-American culture. Musicians and writers have used them in varying ways, and several festivals celebrate the leafy vegetable. Former president Barack Obama served collard greens at his first state dinner as president. 
• Collard greens have become a traditional New Year's Day dinner menu option, along with black-eyed peas.
• The word "collard" is from the mid-18th century, from the word "colewort," formed from "cole" (cabbage) and "wort" (root). 

Anatomy

• Thick collard stems can be two to four feet tall. Broad, dark green leaves are attached to the stem by a long petiole or stalk.
• After a collard plant's first year, they may send up a flower stalk the following year (bolting), usually in summer, and produce seeds. The flowers are edible, but if the flower stalks are not cut back, the flavor of the greens may be affected.  

How to Pick, Buy, & Eat

• Pick collard greens from your garden when they are young, tender, and firm; they get more bitter as they age. Fresh collard greens are sold in bunches in a grocery store's produce section with other greens, like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. The leaves should be dark green. Avoid yellowed, brown, slimy, or wilted leaves.
• Store the greens in damp paper towels or an airtight bag or container in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Use them within three to four days.
• Wash the leaves in cold water with a bit of salt before cooking, lightly scrubbing them with your hands to remove any hidden dirt. 
• Collards have a slightly bitter taste, between cabbage and kale. They can be eaten raw or cooked, but cooking mellows their bitterness.
• Collard greens are often boiled with pork fat. They may be cooked with other greens, like mustard greens, turnip greens, or spinach. Smoked meat like pork, ham hock, or turkey is often added to the cooked greens, along with onions, salt, pepper, and vinegar.

Nutrition

• Leafy greens are great for our health! Collard greens have a high amount of vitamin K and are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and folate, a B vitamin. They also contain calcium and dietary fiber.
• Vitamin K helps blood to clot and is beneficial to bone density and health. Vitamin A is instrumental in vision, immune system, and reproductive health. It also aids growth and development. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and benefits immune function. Folate is needed for healthy cell growth and function, forming red blood cells, and is essential during early pregnancy. 
• Calcium is needed for strong bones and may help prevent some cancers. Fiber helps with digestion, weight management, and regulating blood sugar.