Just had my first taste of US Collard Greens grown in Northern England.
If you can keep the slugs and ants off of them--they grow brilliantly.
The leaves are very tender and tasty--just like the good old days. I am
supprised that they grew this fast and strong in northern England. I'll
let a couple go to seed for next year.

On 28 Jun 2005 16:15:28 -0700, "Jim" wrote:

Just had my first taste of US Collard Greens grown in Northern England.
If you can keep the slugs and ants off of them--they grow brilliantly.
The leaves are very tender and tasty--just like the good old days. I am
supprised that they grew this fast and strong in northern England. I'll
let a couple go to seed for next year.

Mine aren't quite ready for picking yet Jim, but are coming on OK.
How did you cook them? Do they need longer than other cabbage?

Pam in Bristol

Pam Moore wrote:

How did you cook them? Do they need longer than other cabbage?

Longer than other cabbage, and a friend of mine swears that they're best
after a hard frost. You can simulate that by putting the leaves in the
freezer overnight.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

There are loads of recipts on the net Pam. I don't pull the entire
plant--just a few lower leaves from each plant is fine--let it keep
producing more. Have a good look at the leaves. They are thick but very
tender and have fewer veins than cabbage. Chew a raw leaf - you'll like
it. Unlike Gary, us ''swamp-rats'' don't cook them very long---get
water and add-ins up to a boil and drop them in--back to boil and drop
down to a simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Jim wrote:
[...]
Unlike Gary, us ''swamp-rats'' don't cook them very
long---get water and add-ins up to a boil and drop them in--back to
boil and drop down to a simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.

I don't know about Gary, but to me that would be an awfully long time
for ordinary cabbage; so maybe you agree after all.

--
Mike.

You may be right Mike--I never liked boiled cabbage and we don't cook
it. Just use it for coleslaw.

Jim wrote:
You may be right Mike--I never liked boiled cabbage and we don't
cook
it. Just use it for coleslaw.

Tried a quick stir-fry with shredded onion, chilli, wafer-thin
carrot, then a dash of sesame oil? Or whatever you fancy, really.
Lightly popping some mustard seed in the oil first is nice, too.

--
Mike.

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 21:57:48 GMT, Gary Woods
wrote:

Longer than other cabbage, and a friend of mine swears that they're best
after a hard frost. You can simulate that by putting the leaves in the
freezer overnight.

That one's worth a try Gary. I've not grown collards before, so want
to make the best of them.

Pam in Bristol

Pam Moore wrote:

That one's worth a try Gary. I've not grown collards before, so want
to make the best of them.

A sort of amplification: I know "collards" means different things here and
there.... this thread is obviously about the non-heading cabbage grown in
the U.S.- looks exactly like a Brussels Sprout plant without the sprouts.
It's thought of as a southern rural specialty here, though it's quite
hardy, and I do pretty well in northern climes. The leaves can be fairly
tough; those are the ones that are cooked fairly slowly with smoked ham
hocks, etc.... treat as you would any of the bigger greens, and you won't
go wrong.
I grew them several years ago at the urging of a co-worker who considered
collards an essential part of his heritage. Hopefully, I'll give him a bag
full this fall; he's also retired and sadly has some health issues.
Oh, chopped in biggish chunks and parboiled for a few minutes, they freeze
beautifully!

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G