Collard Greens with Blackeye Peas
I don’t know - maybe I’ve lived in the South too long, but I ate something last week that I would never have considered before — Collard Greens. Growing up, I was the farthest thing from being a vegetable fan. (Ask my poor parents, who tried every trick in the book and invented some new ones to get me to eat my veggies) Nowadays, though, I have come to appreciate the health benefits of our green friends enough to try a few new ones.
Being on a temporary fruits-and-vegetables diet makes me even more eager to try new fresh foods, so I picked up some Collard Greens in the produce department and decided to give them a whirl.
I confess I was surprised that I genuinely liked them. I assumed that I could eat them, tolerate them, and make them occasionally for DH. But I was so wrong! I liked them so much that I’m making another batch this week.
Collard Greens, so I have heard, have a flavor that distinguishes them from other greens. Instead of being bitter, Collard Greens are mild and slightly smoky. Packed with Vitamin K and A, plus lots more vitamins and minerals, they are a good nutritional value for very few calories. AND they are also loaded with complicated health benefits which I don’t understand, such as phytonutrients and antioxidants.
So, folks, below you will find the method I used for making Collard Greens with Blackeye Peas… Even if you are not a veggie fanatic, give them a try. I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised.
Collard Greens with Blackeye Peas
2 bunches of Collard Greens
1 stalk celery
1 red onion
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1 slice ham
1 t. vegetable oil
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
water
1 can Blackeye Peas - seasoned or plain
To prepare the greens, you need to rinse them well and then lay them out on a cutting board for deveining. (Sometimes you can find them already prepped.) To remove the vein, take a sharp knife and slice the leaf away from the thick stem-like part in the center of the leaf. Toss the veins in the trash can and cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces as if you were preparing a tossed salad.
Chop the celery, green pepper, and ham; slice the onion; and add them all to the collards.
Next, heat the oil in a large skillet and add the red pepper to it. Once warm, add the greens and other vegetables. When they have wilted, turn the heat to low, add a cup of water, and cover.
You want to let them simmer for about an hour or more — keep an eye on the water level and add more as you need to. When it’s almost time to eat, remove the lid and let the excess water cook out. Add the peas and salt and pepper to taste and give them a stir… Serve.
I can think of lots of foods this would go with — grilled meats, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, fried chicken, etc.
ENJOY!
December 10th, 2007