Ginas Collard Greens Food

COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the collard greens. Cut each leaf in half, removing and discarding the center rib. Stack a few leaves on top of each other, tightly roll together and thinly slice. Continue with the remaining leaves. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add the smoked turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the sliced collard greens, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder and onion powder; season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to incorporate (a pair of tongs works great for this).
• Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are wilted, tender and darker in color, 30 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

GINA'S COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash collard greens, be sure to pull leaves apart and remove any sand. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of salted water to a simmer. Place smoked ham hocks in salted water and cover. Cook ham hocks until slightly tender and remove from pan. In the same saucepan, add collard greens and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook greens for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until water reduces, add more water and additional salt and sugar, to taste.

CREAMED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Fill a very large pot three-quarters full with water and bring to a boil. Add the collard greens to the water and make sure they are all well submerged. Return the water to a boil and simmer until the greens are tender and bright green, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the greens and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain the greens well, squeezing out excess water with your hands or by placing in a kitchen towel and squeezing. Chop the greens finely and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a skillet or Dutch oven large enough to hold all of the greens. Add the garlic and shallots and cook over medium heat until softened but not browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook until reduced by half, about 25 minutes - watch carefully as the cream can quickly boil over! Add the greens and toss until warmed through. Season generously with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add to a serving dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

BOOZY BRAISED COLLARD GREENS

Steps:

• Remove stems from greens and discard. Roll up like a cigar and slice into ribbons.
• In a large pot over medium heat, add bacon, onion, and garlic. Render bacon until crisp and the onion is tender, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in brown sugar, vinegar, broth, and bourbon. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and stir in the collard greens in batches. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours until tender and soft.