Hearty and Ancient, Collard Greens Are in Season

It's not surprising that collard greens are one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. They simply look tough. Maybe that's why they've stuck around for millennia.

Collards date back to prehistoric times, and I think they've really hung on to that leathery reptile sort of look. That is, except for the delicate baby collards I found at the Bloomfield Farms' stand this week. All their greens seem to be sweet and newborn. 

I asked Bloomfield Farms' Karen Collins how her greens achieved their "youthful" look. She says it's all in the heirloom seeds.

"We buy all of our seeds from Baker Creek Seed Company. This kid started selling seeds out of his bedroom at 17!" Collins said about the company's founder, Jere Gettle.

Baker Creek now carries the largest selection of heirloom seeds in the United States, and has played a large role in preserving our agricultural and culinary heritage. The Missouri-based company has a branch in Petaluma, selling seeds and supplies to local gardeners and farmers out of an old bank building, as well as through its website. 

Back to collard greens. Collards are in season and are at their best January through April. Though it's possible to grow collards year round, they are much more nutritious in the winter. Some say they even taste better after they've recovered from a little frost. They are packed with vitamin C and a whole slew of potent cancer-fighting properties. 

I've always associated collard greens with the South. Traveling to Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas a handful of times for work, I aimed to try local flavors. Collard greens were always on the menu and not something I'd ever tasted growing up in the Northwest. In my "southern" experience, their preparation usually involved ham and butter. Tasty but not always the most appealing dish to look at. Maybe that's why they refer to them as a "mess o greens."

I found a new twist for cooking with collards in this flavorful, tasty-looking soba noodle dish - see recipe below. A little spice, a light broth and some Asian flavors. I had some King Trumpet mushrooms on hand, but you can use any wild or cultivated mushroom. Enoki, white beech or shiitake would work well. 

Spicy Soba Noodles with Ginger and Collard Greens

Ingredients:

• 1 big bunch of collard greens or 2 lbs baby Bloomfield Farm collards
• 1/2 package or 
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 T chopped fresh ginger
• 2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
• 2 cups sliced wild or cultivated mushrooms 
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 package or 6 oz buckwheat soba noodles

Directions:

Stem collard greens and slice into 2 inch strips. Blanch collards in a big pot of boiling water for about 3 minutes. Strain and squeeze out as much water as you can. Toss collards in a bowl with sesame oil. In a saucepan, saute ginger and garlic in olive oil for about 1 minute on medium high heat. Add chopped mushrooms and saute until tenter or about 5 minutes. Stirring frequently. Add collard greens, red pepper flakes and soy sauce, stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and simmer. Season with salt if need be.

In a separate pot, boil water and cook soba noodles until tender. Strain.

Add noodles to your collard and mushroom broth mixture. Serve. This is delicious topped with a piece of grilled salmon.