• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

Preparation

Wash the leaves carefully to get rid of any grit and insects. Stories abound of people washing large quantities of greens in a washing machine, but I can’t verify that it is a good idea. Remove the tough stems before cooking: Grasp the end of the stem with one hand. Run the thumb and index finger of your other hand right along the stem, ripping off the leaf.

Cooking Ideas

You can use collards anywhere you would use kale, but slightly increase the cooking time. Collards can also replace cabbage in soups and stews.

Collards are good as a sauté: Blanch for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain. Sauté with olive oil and garlic or butter and pine nuts and finish with a dusting of Parmesan. You can also cook blanched collards with rice or grits, or you can combine them with canned or cooked beans, seasoned with hot sauce or vinegar.

For traditional Southern-style collards, cook the greens slowly in water with a ham bone or piece of salt pork until meltingly tender. Serve over corn-bread, and pass hot sauce and vinegar on the side.

Collard Math

2 pounds collards = 1 pound collard leaves (with stems removed and discarded) = about 12 cups lightly packed = 2 cups cooked

Kale

Like collard greens, kale is a nonheading cabbage. It has been grown extensively in Europe, where it is more common than collards. It is more tender than collards, but the two are often used interchangeably in recipes.

There are several varieties of kale, and each variety has its fans. Blue-green curly kale, the type most common in the United States, is known simply as kale or curly kale. Lacinato kale goes by many names, including Tuscan kale, dinosaur kale, black kale, and cavalo nero. Its leaves are a dark, dark green and more ridged than curly. Red kale, also known as Russian kale or Siberian kale, has red-veined, greenish purple leaves that are frilly and shaped somewhat like oak leaves. The varieties can be used interchangeably, though curly kale is the best choice for roasting.

Availability

Kale is available pretty much all year long, but the best-tasting kale is a cold-weather crop.

Storage

Kale is very hearty in the garden and will easily withstand many frosts and even snow if kept under a blanket of mulch. Like collards, the larger, outer leaves can be harvested (as much as one-quarter of the plant), allowing the plant to continue producing leaves. Keep store-bought kale in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator for about 4 days. Kale will yellow and become limp and bitter if stored too long.

How to Buy

Kale is sold in bunches, and the bunches vary in weight. Figure you will need to buy about ½ pound per serving. Choose Lacinato, if possible, for Italian-style dishes. Avoid leaves that are limp or yellowed.

Preparation

Wash well. The curly leaves, in particular, may harbor grit and insects. Remove the tough stems before cooking: Grasp the end of the stem with one hand. Run the thumb and index finger of your other hand right along the stem, ripping off the leaf.

Cooking Ideas

You can enjoy kale steamed, blanched, sautéed, stir-fried, even roasted (see page 158). It is a versatile green, much less bitter in flavor than other greens. It can be used interchangeably in recipes calling for cabbage, collards, or mustard greens.

Although cabbage is more typically called for in Chinese recipes, kale does just fine in stir-fries and paired with Chinese seasonings. It holds its color well and, when sliced thinly, doesn’t require much cooking time in a stir-fry or sauté. It is best matched with assertive flavors, such as soy sauce, garlic, and bacon. There are many delicious rustic soups that are based upon kale, including caldo verde (Portuguese kale soup; see page 108).

Kale Math

1 pound kale = about 12 cups lightly packed = 1¼ to 1½ cups cooked

Mustard Greens

Mustard greens are the leaves of the mustard plant, Brassica juncea. While the seeds are used to make yellow ballpark mustard, the peppery greens are a delicious addition to the winter table. The greens are