Page 52 - Harnett Life Winter 2022

Collards no Longer Takes the Back Seat

to National Acorn Squash Day!

By Jane Parker Myers

According to Wikipedia, “Collard greens are a staple veg- to soak up the “pot liquor”, a nutrient-rich collard broth.
etable in Southern US cuisine. They are often prepared Collard greens may also be thinly sliced and fermented
with other similar green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, to make a collard sauerkraut that is often cooked with flat
kale, turnip greens, and mustard greens in the dish called dumplings.”
“mixed greens”. Typically used in combination with col-
lard greens are smoked and salted meats (ham hocks, After much searching, I found that we have the Ancient
smoked turkey drumsticks, smoked turkey necks, pork Romans and Greeks to thank for discovering that you
neckbones, fatback or other fatty meat), diced onions, could put those giant leaves in a pot with a slab of meat
vinegar, salt, and black pepper, white pepper, or crushed and it was quite tasty!
red pepper and some cooks add a small amount of sug-
ar. Traditionally, collards are eaten on New Year’s Day, What fond memories I have when walking into our par-
along with black-eyed peas or field peas and cornbread ents or grandparent’s home and the aroma of collards hits
to ensure wealth in the coming year. Cornbread is used you in the face. They had probably been simmering on

Page 52 Harnett Life ~ Winter 2022