Soul food enthusiasts will be thrilled by this Sweetie Pies collard greens recipe. It is considered as one of the most notable features on Southeastern dining table, like macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and fried okra. It is tasty, warm, and comforting. It is garlicky and smoky, it will tingle any taste bud.
Ingredients
- 1½ pound collard greens, stem removed and washed clean
- 1 cup smoked turkey or ham hock, chopped into cubes or shredded
- ¼ cup garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon red pepper, crushed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin olive oil is preferable
- ½ cup water
- 3½ cup chicken broth, low fat and low sodium broth is preferable
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
Cooking Instruction
- Wash collard greens under cold running water and get rid of excess water
- Pile each green leaf on top of each other then roll them length wise. Cut the green leaf roll into an-inch-wide parts. Repeat until all collard greens have been cut.
- Heat up olive oil over medium high heat in a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Add chopped turkey or ham and garlic, and then cook until turkey has browned nicely. It usually takes around six minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Pour water, chicken broth, and vinegar into the pan. Bring liquid to boiling point.
- Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add collard greens and let it boils for a few minutes.
- Stir well then cover pan with a lid.
- Cook at the same temperature for around thirty minutes then lower the heat to medium.
- Add sugar and maple syrup and stir well.
- Put lid on once again and cook for another hour.
- This Sweetie Pies collard greens recipe will serve up to four people.
Collard green is packed with nutritional values such as vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, and manganese. It is low in carbohydrate, so the vegetable is suitable for healthy low-carb diet. People can fulfill their daily dose of vitamin K just by eating a serving of collard green dish. Even so, to obtain maximum nutrition from this vegetable, people have to cook it carefully.
Similar with other soul food meals, people are concerned about cholesterol and salt content in collard greens. This Sweetie Pies collard greens recipe can be altered to be a healthier meal without changing its taste. Using smoked turkey wings can reduce cholesterol in the dish. People can even omit smoked meat entirely and replace it with other smoked flavorings like dried smoky chilies. Omitting smoked meat will also reduce salt content in the dish. Using low sodium and low fat broth is another way to get healthier collard greens.
It is a perfect and simple side dish if you are inviting people over. It is best served with roasted chicken, turkey, or pork and freshly baked cornbread. The warm feeling it gives will certainly bring back childhood memories of home cooked meal. This Sweetie Pies collard greens recipe is a must try!
