sweet, southern-style collards
Collards are a decidedly Southern vegetable. Granted, they have a place on the plates of many other cultures in other parts of the world, but lots of US citizens think of collards only being served in the South. While I love to experiment with collards, this recipe is pretty true to Southern style cooking. I didn’t use a hamhock, but that’s about the only difference.
We decided to grow collards this year. A friend of my husband’s had some extra plants and we just stuck them in the ground they’ve done surprisingly well. It has been a relatively mild winter, so even in January, they’re still thriving and the leaves are still tender. I find that homegrown collard leaves are smaller and sweeter than their grocery store counterparts. However, if you didn’t grow your own collards, don’t fret. This recipe is the perfect blend of sweetness and long cooking time to tame the bitterness that sometimes seeps into winter-grown collards.
Ingredients:
16-20 medium to large collard leaves, chopped, with or without stems
1 small Fuji apple, chopped
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1/2 Tbs olive oil, butter or ghee
1-2 tsp chopped garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1-2 tsp salt
Optional: any kind of soup bone, such as a beef marrow bone - I add this to get the health benefits of bone broth
Optional: 1/2 tsp Aleppo chili pepper flakes or red pepper flakes
Instructions:
Heat the oil or butter in a large pot. If using, add soup bone. Add the onion, cooking and stirring until translucent. Add garlic and cook 2-4 minutes more. Add the chopped apple; cook and stir about 4 min, until apple begins to soften.
Add the chopped collards. Cook and stir 2-3 min until collards begin to wilt and slightly reduce in volume. Add the chicken broth, salt and pepper. Make sure the broth volume covers the greens. If it does not, add enough water or more broth until collards are completely submerged (but not drowning). Bring to a slow boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour.