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By: Rachel Disselkamp

Rachel also blogs about the college eating experience on her own blog [http://rachelvsramen.blogspot.com] (http://rachelvsramen.blogspot.com "Optional Title")

When asked to visualize “collard greens” many of us might see the traditional Southern Sunday dinner: a family crowded around a spread of soul food like chicken, cornbread, mashed potatoes, pies, collards, etc. However, greens seem to be a food of the past, something our agrarian ancestors ate. It is far removed from our fast-paced, high-fructose, microwave-dinner world. What is a college student going to do with raw collards? What to do with a “mess” of collard greens? They look a lot like something only a rabbit would eat.

So in this way, collards are sacrosanct. People doubt the ability for collards to taste good or accommodate a quick dinner; others don’t realize the many benefits these plants can add to a balanced diet. By committing a little extra time to cooking and eating collards greens, you may come to find that they are not only highly nutritious, but also positively delicious. This large, leafy green is a close relative of both cabbage and looks a lot like kale, but flaunts its individuality with its bitter and almost smoky taste. It’s rich with vitamins A and C, as well as calcium and fiber, among a long list of others.

Cooking these thick leaves can be a challenge. It requires vigilance, the occasional added hydration and balanced seasoning. While one can drown its poor leaves in excesses butter, salt and other unhealthy substitutes, the real trick is using a piece of smoked meat to create a steamy bath for the leaves to soak in. Enter the ham hock. Admittedly quite an ugly piece of meat, but beneath the rough exterior lays a treasure trove of flavor. Preparing the right broth for the bath is essential for cooking collards. By giving the bath some prep-time to cook alone, it encourages the infusion of the seasonings into the water. This meeting and mingling of smoked meat, cloves of garlic, broth, cracked pepper, etc. is essential to the taste quality of the collards.

After the simmering of seasonings is complete, add the collards and put yourself into waiting room mentality because it’s going to be a while. While most vegetables are best only just fork-tender, the best collards will almost melt in your mouth. Add collard greens to the menu especially January through April when they are in season, but they are an irresistible summer side dish as well. And don’t forget that while you are filling your plate with a “mess” of collard greens, you are also secretly, painlessly getting a “mess” of vitamins and minerals, all for just a few calories.

Collard Greens

Ingredients:

One large bunch of collards [cooks down to about a quarter the size, adjust as needed]

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, low sodium

3+ cups water, additional will be needed throughout the cooking

1 ham hock [I used two strips of chopped bacon this time instead]

3 small cloves garlic

1 ½ T white wine vinegar

2 T butter

Salt and cracked pepper, cayenne pepper

Instructions:

Clean and chop collard greens. Cut out the middle stems, as it is often tough. In a large pot, add all ingredients except collards. Simmer for at least 30 min, uncovered. The longer you cook it, the more flavors are rendered. At best, you want the ham hock to be falling apart by the time you add the greens. Add collards full to the top of the pot, as they will wilt – that is when you can add more if desired. Cover and simmer for about an hour or until very tender. Add additional water, when needed. Check every 15 min or so depending on water levels. Serve warm.