Collard greens
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"Berza" redirects here. For village in Romania, see Santa Mare.
| Collard greens | |
|---|---|
A bundle of collard greens | |
| Details | |
| Species | Brassica oleracea |
| Cultivar group | Acephala Group |
| Origin | unknown |
| Cultivar group members | Many, and some are known by other names. |
Collard greens is the American English term for various loose-leafed cultivars of Brassica oleracea, part of the Acephala Group which containscabbage and broccoli. The plants are grown for their large, dark-colored, edible leaves and as a garden ornamental, mainly in Brazil, Portugal, the southern United States, many parts of Africa, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, southern Croatia, northern Spain and in India. They are classified in the same cultivar group as kale and spring greens, to which they are genetically similar. The name "collard" is a corrupted form of the word "colewort" (cabbage plant).
The plant is also called couve in Brazil and in Portugal, couve-galega or "couve portuguesa" (among several other names)in Cape Verde, berza inSpanish-speaking countries, raštika in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and raštan in Montenegro and Serbia. In Kashmir, it is called haak. InKenya it is more commonly known by its Swahili name, "sukuma wiki", and is often confused with kales.
Description
The cultivar group name Acephala ("without a head" in Greek) refers to the fact that this variety of B. oleracea does not have the usual close-knit core of leaves (a "head") like cabbage.[1] The plant is a biennial where winter frost occurs, and perennial in even colder regions. It is also moderately sensitive to salinity. It has an upright stalk, often growing up to two feet tall. The plant is very similar to kale. Popular cultivars of collard greens include 'Georgia Southern', 'Morris Heading', 'Butter Collard' (or couve-manteiga), and couve tronchuda.
[edit]Cultivation and storage
The plant is commercially cultivated for its thick, slightly bitter, edible leaves. They are available year-round, but are tastier and more nutritious in the cold months, after the first frost.[2] For best texture, the leaves should be picked before they reach their maximum size, at which stage the leaves will be thicker and should be cooked differently from the new leaves. Age will not affect flavor. Flavor and texture also depend on the cultivar; the couve-manteiga and couve tronchuda are especially appreciated in Brazil and Portugal.
Fresh collard leaves can be stored for up to 10 days if refrigerated to just above freezing (1°C) at high humidity (>95%). In domestic refrigerators, fresh collard leaves can be stored for about three days. Once cooked, they can be frozen and stored for greater lengths of time.
[edit]Nutritional information
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 151 kJ (36 kcal) |
| Carbohydrates | 7.1 g |
| - Sugars | 0.57 g |
| - Dietary fiber | 2.8 g |
| Fat | 0.41 |
| Protein | 2.97 g |
| Vitamin A equiv. | 575 μg (72%) |
| - beta-carotene | 6818 μg (63%) |
| - lutein and zeaxanthin | 10898 μg |
| Thiamine (vit. B1) | 0.047 mg (4%) |
| Riboflavin (vit. B2) | 0.115 mg (10%) |
| Niacin (vit. B3) | 0.635 mg (4%) |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.115 mg (2%) |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.114 mg (9%) |
| Folate (vit. B9) | 76 μg (19%) |
| Vitamin C | 26.4 mg (32%) |
| Vitamin E | 1.25 mg (8%) |
| Vitamin K | 623.2 μg (594%) |
| Calcium | 210 mg (21%) |
| Iron | 1.12 mg (9%) |
| Magnesium | 30 mg (8%) |
| Manganese | 0.663 mg (32%) |
| Phosphorus | 27 mg (4%) |
| Potassium | 251 mg (5%) |
| Sodium | 50 mg (3%) |
| Zinc | 0.27 mg (3%) |
| Link to USDA Database entry Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database | |
Widely considered to be a healthy food, collards are good sources of vitamin C and soluble fiber, and contain multiple nutrients with potent anticancer properties, such as diindolylmethane[3] and sulforaphane.[4][5][6] Roughly a quarter pound (approx. 100 g) of cooked collards contains 46 Calories.
A high source of vitamin K (the clotting vitamin) and should be eaten in moderation if you are on blood thinners.
Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have recently discovered that 3,3'-diindolylmethane in Brassica vegetables such as collard greens is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with potent antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer activity.[7]
[edit]Culinary use
Collard greens have been eaten for at least 2000 years, with evidence showing that the Ancient Greeks cultivated several forms of both collard greens and kale.[8]
[edit]Southern United States
Collard greens are a staple vegetable of Southern U.S. cuisine. They are often prepared with other similar green leaf vegetables, such as kale, turnipgreens, spinach, and mustard greens in "mixed greens".[9] They are generally eaten year-round in the South. Typical seasonings when cooking collards can consist of smoked and salted meats (ham hocks, smoked turkey drumsticks, pork neckbones, fatback or other fatty meat), dicedonions, vinegar, salt, and black, white, or crushed red pepper, and some cooks add a small amount of sugar. Traditionally, collards are eaten on New Year's Day,[10] along with black-eyed peas or field peas and cornbread, to ensure wealth in the coming year,[11][12] as the leaves resemble folding money.[13][14] Cornbread is used to soak up the "pot liquor", a nutrient-rich collard broth. Collard greens may also be thinly sliced and fermented to make collard kraut, which is often cooked with flat dumplings.
[edit]Kenya (East Africa)
Collard greens are known as 'sukuma wiki' in Kenya and are wrongly but commonly referred to as kales.
In Congo, Tanzania and Kenya (East Africa), thinly sliced collard greens are the main accompaniments of a popular dish known as sima or ugali (a corn flour cake).
'Sukuma Wiki' is mainly lightly sauteed in oil until tender, flavoured in onions and seasoned with salt and is served either as the main accompaniment or as a side dish with preferred meat (fish, chicken, beef, pork).
[edit]Brazil and Portugal
In Portuguese and Brazilian cuisine, collard greens (or couve) are common accompaniments of fish and meat dishes. They are a standard side dish for feijoada, a popular pork and beans-style stew.
Thinly sliced collard greens are also the main ingredient of a popular Portuguese soup, caldo verde (green broth). The leaves are sliced into strips, 2 or 3 mm wide (sometimes by the grocer or market vendor, with a special hand-cranked slicer) and sautéed with oil or butter, flavored with garlic, onion, and salt.
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