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turnip, mustard, collard greens

post #1 of 9
3/25/09 at 8:52am
Thread Starter 
Im interested in all greens, but right now I would like info on cooking these greens.

What kind of preparations can they be used in from simple to elaborate?

And what are general things to keep in mind when cooking them?

All I can bring to the table is that My mom used to simply boil greens, usually kale or mustard and then eat it with umeboshi plum paste or vinegar from japan. this was a sour, salty tangy pickled ume plum condiment. She has since tried to stay away from the higher acidity of spinach and her greens of choice now are bok choy and swiss chard.

I know that caribbean countries like to cook greens with onions, garlic, okra and coconut milk and often crab and/or salted pork meats as well to make a thick creamy callaloo sauce or soup (if made thinner) to eat with rice or the cornmeal foofoo/funchi/coocoo... but they usually use an east indian spinach (Which i think is what the word callaloo comes from) or the leaves of the dasheen or taro yam, or simply spinach.

I have had soul food collard greens once. I was surprised that they where sweet. I tihnk they are cooked with sugar and salted pork until very smooth and soft.

I am also aware of the spinach florentine. which is a bechamel sauce (or simply heavy cream) mixed in with greens, along with whatever seasoning is liked. (and it is made with shrimp many times) I have never had one.

I also know that in Austria they make a quite tasty brain sandwich and they serve it with spinach!

oh yeah and i love the spinach and hot bacon grease salad!



by the way, I will be cooking turnip greens soon, but I am interested in all of it.
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post #2 of 9
3/25/09 at 11:52am
The best thing about greens is that they are very good for you. Once you start adding butters and sauces, and bacon fat to them they really lose their nutritional value. That being said you can prepare them any number of ways like the ways you suggested and they're great.

I like to boil greens and then dress them with evoo and lemon like a salad, served at room temperature. I cook them like I would pasta. Bring a salted pot of water to a boil, then add the greens and let them wilt down (timing is different for each kind of green). Drain and dress. Don't cook them too long and don't put the lid back on the pot while cooking so that it retains its color.
In a nutshell
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post #3 of 9
3/25/09 at 12:53pm
I like any of the greens added to soups. Also like to give them a quick saute and add to omlettes. Of course you have the obvious use in salads.
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post #4 of 9
3/25/09 at 1:47pm
I love collards. Two of my favorite ways of cooking them are roughly a Portuguese caldo verde using linguica for the sausage, or, collards with just ground ancho chile and raw bacon. Either way, I take out the midribs of the leaves before cooking, and cook a half hour or more.
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post #5 of 9
3/25/09 at 10:15pm
We grow collards and rainbow chard and sometimes mustard greens. Collards we usually pressure cooked, 15-20 minutes, typically in chicken or beef stock. Around here all greens, whether spinach, chard, turnips, mustard or whatever are called Quelites. (keh-leet-ess). Chard cooks a lot faster, as do turnip greens. They can be quickly sauteed. We dress simply with lemon and oil or sometimes vinegar. I like malt vinegar best for greens. We toss them sometimes with a little left over meat, grilled chicken, steak or pork chop remnants, even shrimp for a complete and quick dinner. I agree with the post above, overdoing the fatty meats and elaborate saucing ruins the awsome health benefits of fresh greens. I think they're best when they're nearly unadorned.
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post #6 of 9
3/25/09 at 10:33pm
Can all these greens be eaten raw, like in a salad? Cooked leaves make me gaggy, even if there was lots of butter on them Also I decided just recentlly to try collard greens at a restaurant, just to say id tried them, even thought they sounded like something i wouldnt normally like (cooked, wilty salad) and it had dirt in it!, so my first collard greens experience was not a good one. I had that sandy, gritty noise in my head all nite. I will try them again one day, but I like crispy veggies better I think.
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post #7 of 9
3/26/09 at 12:32am
For any of these greens you can't go wrong cooking them with a bit of prepared mustard and garlicky sausage.

Any dirt or sand has to be rinsed off before cooking!:D

IMO, the greens mentioned here should be cooked. They are not the same as lettuce or some other greens that are good raw.
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post #8 of 9
3/26/09 at 6:07am
I've had turnip,beet and mustard greens in salads. They were the baby greens. Kale I have eaten raw on sandwiches instead of lettuce.

I haven't tried it but I would think one could use kale and/or collards as part of a cole slaw. Probably cut into chiffonade would be the way to go.
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post #9 of 9
3/26/09 at 3:03pm
I turn them into a whole meal..

Steam the greens first... then take some EVOO, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic (browned or toasted) and a full can of cannelli beans, liquid included along with some salt and red pepper. Once hot, add the greens along with some vermouth (a splash) and a couple of handfuls of reggiano parmegiano cheese (grated). Bring that sucker to a boil and reduce it to simmer until the liquid dissipates and the creaminess starts to form from the cheese and the starchy beans. The old beans and greens is a full meal for us with lots of protein from the beans.

You can use Escarole, Chard, Kale, Collards or whatever green you want...
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