Valley Bounty: Collards
Collards love the cold and become sweeter after hard frosts. Now is a great time to enjoy this cousin to kale– it is just as versatile for braising, using in soups or stews, or stuffing with other seasonal flavors. If you’re making a collard wrap, I suggest trimming off the spine of the stem to make for easier rolling. Try collards stuffed with chicken and polenta or ground pork and rice.
By Abby Getman of Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
Find local collards here. Remember that some farm stands have closed for the season, so call ahead!
Here are a couple of good ideas from local farms:
- Freezing suggestions and recipes for Southern-style collards or Portuguese kale soup from The Kitchen Garden
- Mountain View Farm’s version of stuffed collards
I miss the tamales I used to eat regularly in Bogota, but I’ve found recipes that recall the flavors of the traditional plantain or corn-husked treat using more local ingredients, like this one from Serious Eats.
