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Cooking greens are a Southern tradition –eat them on New Year's Day to bring good luck for the upcoming year. Green is the color of money, after all, so the association isn't too far-fetched. Collard, mustard, kale, swiss chard, and broccoli rabe are all varieties of cooking greens.
Did you say that you can't stand greens? Join the club. Many folks think greens are slimy and bitter, but relax: there's hope. Just as we've learned that broccoli tastes better when it's lightly steamed, we've also learned that lightly cooked greens are much tastier than the kind that are boiled beyond recognition. So take heart; we have some ideas to help.
To quick-boil greens, bring two quarts of water to a boil. Don't chop the leaves, but submerge them whole into the boiling water. Use a wooden spoon to move them from top to bottom. To tell when they are done, use your senses. The leaves should begin to lose their perkiness and wilt slightly, but the bright green color will still be present. At this point, bring a leaf up with your spoon, tear off a piece, and chew it. If the flavor is bitter, let them cook more. The greens are just right when chewing a piece releases sweet juices in your mouth. If the color is gone or there is no flavor left when you chew it, they’ve cooked too long. The amount of time depends on the maturity of the green and the amount of leaves you’re cooking. For something like tender mustard greens, it should be a thirty- to sixty-second dip, while mature collard greens can take about five minutes. Once you test the green and get a sweet flavor, pour the contents of the pot into a colander. Gently run cool water over the greens to halt cooking. Once they are cool enough to touch, gather them into a ball and gently squeeze out the excess water. Chop them on the cutting board and they are ready to dress and serve.
To simmer greens, bring about one inch of liquid (water, broth or wine) to simmer in a large skillet. Chop the washed greens into strips. Place the strips in the simmering liquid and keep them moving with a wooden spoon. You are looking for the same results as described above: a bright green color and a sweet flavor; but since the greens have been chopped, the cooking time will be shorter.
When sautéing greens, it is good to work with just-washed greens. The water helps with wilting and releasing bitterness. Heat two tablespoons of oil and a minced clove of garlic in a skillet. Chop the greens you are using into bite-sized pieces. Stacking the washed leaves is an easy way to make efficient, uniform cuts. Place cut leaves in the skillet and keep them moving. Stay with the process and test every minute or so for doneness. When the leaves are still full of color and tasting proves not bitter, but sweet, they’re ready!
So, happy new year! You can start the year off right, with good-luck greens, and keep that good fortune all year by enjoying yummy greens—cooked the right way!
Published 12/21/07
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