Today marks the start of Collard Greens Week. We start the week off with a story behind Greens and New Year’s traditions. Frances Warren was born in Atlanta in 1928, but spent most of her childhood in Miami, Florida. She noted in her oral history collected about 2005, that during her childhood, most families in the South ate hoppin’ John and collard greens especially at midnight on New Year’s. Historically various people around the world have believed that legumes represent coins and greens dollars which if eaten on the first of the year would bring in economic prosperity for the New Year.
Collard Green Recipe:
Wash the collards good in plenty of slightly salted water
Start out with 3 bunches which will serve 6 people, they are big but they cook down like spinach. I steam mine in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes until the fibrous leaves are easy to eat. Steaming preserves the water soluble vitamins that are killed when you just boil the greens down like most of my ancestors have done for years. Remove the collards from the pressure cooker and save the water to make the pot-licker. Season the water with 3 cubes of vegetable bullion, dried bay leaf, dried red pepper flakes, little vinegar, and some honey. Had a little liquid smoke which most grocery stores sell if you like that smoked meat flavor (the traditional recipe calls for a smoked ham hock or a hunk of smoked fat back). The pot-licker is full of vitamins and great seasoning for the greens. Sauté the steamed greens with chopped onions and garlic in olive oil with your preferred seasonings like pepper, salt, etc. Add sautéed greens to the pot-licker and let them marinade for 30 or more before serving.
