A Taste of History

Not only is Collard Greens a staple in the African-American culture but in households all across the globe.  This dark leafy green tree cabbage is full of vitamins and minerals that are healthy for us. 

Collard greens date back to prehistoric time and one of the oldest member of the cabbage family.  What some of you may not know is that Collard greens is also known as the tree cabbage. Some may think that Collard greens originated in Africa but they were originated in Eastern Mediterranean. Collard greens are an extremely nutritious vegetable, rich in vitamins and minerals that help prevent and fight diseases.

Here are some examples:

• Promote lung health
• Cardiovascular protection
• A healthy transition though menopause (This alone is worth it) 
• Broad Antioxidant protection

Collard greens were one of the few vegetables that African-Americans were allowed to grow for themselves and their families back in slavery time. Even after the Africans were emancipated in the late 1800s cooked greens were a comfort in the African-American culture. So, throughout the years, Collard greens have become a traditional food. 

I'm not a chef just a home cook born from a mother who had me cooking at the young age of 10.  I love a delicious seasoned pot.  After all, what is there not to like about this dark leafy vegetable when cooked down in a low gravy and drinking the juices from the pot known as the ( "pot likker") or sop it up with some good old fashion fried cornbread? Yes, I said sop. 

So, with that being said, let's get started.

Collard Greens:

Ingredients:

• 2 Bunches of Collard greens
• 1 Clove of garlic
• 1 Package of smoked meat
• Salt and pepper/chicken or beef base
• Red pepper flakes (Optional)

Instructions:

1. Put smoked meat in pot to boil make sure you discard the water from the first boil.
2. Wash greens and rinse with salt.*
3. Cut washed Collard greens up and remove the stems if you like.
4. Add greens to the pot with the smoked meat. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook to desired consistency.  Enjoy!

* When preparing your collards make sure to wash them thoroughly and add a little salt to draw out any bugs or dirt that lodges between the stems.

Now on to the fried cornbread. My mom told me back in slavery time,  African-Americans had no fat or milk to make cornbread.  They were only given cornmeal so they came up with just adding hot water to cornmeal and frying it up.   

Fried Hot Water Cornbread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cornmeal
• 1/4 tbsp salt
• 3 cups of hot water (for desired consistency)
• 1/2 cup of oil for frying / add more as needed

Instructions:

1. Heat oil to a high heat but not too hot that it burns
2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, add water until you get to a pancake consistency 
3. I like to use an ice cream scooper to drop the batter in the oil so they can be the same size and cook evenly
4. Fry a minute or two on each side and serve hot. Enjoy

Find more recipes and cooking tips and tricks, here.