Collards

I was recently served a burger wrapped in a steamed collard leaf (thickest part of the stem removed), which was pure joy.  It doesn't matter what kind of burger, so don't even worry about it.  Lentil, quinoa, sunflower, bison, turkey, pork, beef, chicken, fish, black bean, ... you name it ... it's terrific with collards.  And now that you're thinking about a burger wrapped in collard greens, just think how many other kinds of wraps you could try.  One friend uses collards in her favorite stuffed cabbage leaves recipe ... they are equally good in a stuffed grape leaf recipe.  Send us your favorite recipe with collards.  If we love it we'll pass it along to for everyone to enjoy, and we'll give you a special treat with our thanks.  In the meantime, here is a tried-and-true farm recipe which many of you have seen on one of our market handouts.

Southern Style Collards

2 bundles collards, chopped coarsely (thickest parts of stems removed and reserved for your next stir fry or soup stock)
2 Tablespoons butter
one small red onion, diced
4 (or more, to taste) cloves garlic, sliced
red pepper flakes, and salt, to taste

Cook the collards in salted boiling water for 10 minutes.  Drain, and reserve the cooking water separately.
Heat the butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until just browned.  Add diced onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, to taste.  (Variation:  dice a couple of strips of bacon and fry just before adding the onion.) 
Cook until the vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally.  Add the greens and about 1/4 cup of their cooking water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cook for about half-an-hour and adjust salt to taste.
Please note: if you prefer your collard greens not-quite-so-cooked, you can skip the boiling and just sautee, adding a bit of water, until the greens are as done as you like them.
Serve with blackeyed peas and cornbread.