Collards ? Growing and/or cooking

Another wedding question. My sister (getting married mid-June) has requested 'greens' as a wedding dish - her fiance's family is southern. I have never grown or cooked collards. It appears to be an over-wintered type plant, although I saw somewhere a 60 day harvest time. Is this something that could be planted in April for a June harvest? Or is it one of those veggies that taste better after a frost? I am hoping fiance's mother will take on the actual cooking, but thought it would be nice if I could provide fresh greens. Does it cook down like spinach? Looks to be much tougher/thicker, so I'm a bit confused. I have a large stockpot we use for boiling crab and an outdoor propane ring that I thought would work. All recipes I am finding involve some salty meat (ham hocks) and a long cooking time, which is so at odds with my experience with leafies. I am really clueless on this one...

All right.

One thing, collards grow in the deep South. They like hot weather and are one leafy green that can withstand it. I don't suppose they mind a little frost though. You might want to find a source to buy them in case growing them doesn't work; they are readily available around here anyway.

Here is a real good recipe, from Southern LIving Magazine originally:

(Okay, I learned this from a person and we used hot pepper (cayenne powder), not sweet bell pepper. Using a food processor to chop the onions is optional for goodness sakes, I have never owned one of the things. Bacon drippings, or ham pieces -- it does help the flavor but as my mom discovered it is not totally necessary. You can substitute sherry for the white wine too (use less and correspondingly more water, if you do. You could probably skip the sugar too, if you use sherry). My friend who taught me this used to say you had to cook the sauce a while before adding the collards so the flavors would reach their peak. He was probably correct. It would be real hard to overcook collards. Test for degree of softness that you like and call that "done." But an hour is not too long.)

Uptown Collards

Prep: 30 min., Cook: 1 hr. Southern Living Editor John Floyd recommends adding your favorite white wine to turnip and other tender greens. (We always said, "use CHEAP white wine." :) )

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients

* 7 pounds fresh collards
* 1 medium-size onion, quartered
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup dry white wine
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon bacon drippings
* 1 red bell pepper, diced

Preparation

Remove and discard stems from greens. Wash leaves thoroughly, and cut into 1-inch-wide strips; set aside. (I think it's much easier to wash first and then tear the leaves off the stems, and then chop them.)

Pulse onion in a food processor 3 or 4 times or until minced.

Bring onion and next 4 ingredients to a boil (here's where we simmered this for a good time) in a Dutch oven (or a big soup kettle would do just fine). Add greens and bell pepper; cook, covered, over medium heat 45 minutes to 1 hour or until greens are tender.

This message was edited Mar 1, 2011 7:39 PM

They must be tough greens indeed if you can mince them in a food processor... I don't think I've ever had them. I guess I should try to (a) locate a source for them and (b) try cooking a small batch to see what the heck they even taste like. I'll give your recipe a whirl.

Um, read again? the food processor is for the onions, not for the collards. LOL!

Let me know how you like the recipe. :)

Ha ha ha -- you're right, read again. I just thought, wow - you first mince these things and then cook them for an hour, they must be tough as bark...

*snork*

You will like them. I bet.