Jack's Chicken Collard Soup

Ingredients:

1 singing chef  

1 chicken

2 celery stalks

1 rough cut onion

bouquets of your favorite fresh herbs

salt and pepper to taste

later add:

bunch of collards

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 onion, chopped

For rich flavor, use fresh thyme, parsley and rosemary bouquets, or any fresh herbs your family enjoys. 

In our home, Jack returns from the herb garden singing Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” -- “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme”.

The singing is guaranteed to produce a broth even richer in flavor.

Wash one chicken and place in Dutch oven, crock pot or large stock pot with a few celery stalks, rough-cut onion, bouquets of your favorite fresh herbs and seasonings, cover with water and simmer until meat falls off bones.

While chicken is boiling (about 1 hour on stove), cut, peel, dice, chop your favorite vegetables and greens. In this recipe, Jack added collards, carrots, celery and onion to the chicken. If using Swiss Chard or Spinach, we suggest adding the greens about 5 minutes before serving soup. Add white beans if a little more texture is desired.

Skin and debone the chicken, cutting into bite size pieces.

Place back into soup pot, cover with stock from boiling, and add vegetables. If more stock is desired, add store-bought or previously-frozen broth.

Serve with homemade herb bread.

(click here for recipe)

Enjoy! Be sure to freeze your left overs for quick sides and meals on busy days!

Collard Greens and White Bean Soup

Soups are a staple in our family. It's fun making new concoctions, and freezing them for future fast-and-easy meals. With soup, there is seldom any waste.

We hope you enjoy these recipe ideas.

Ingredients:

1 pound (or more) collards, tough ribs removed and chopped (can substitute kale, chard, or other greens)

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, sliced about 1/4-inch thick

4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth

2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground red pepper, to taste

1 pound hot, smoked country sausage, sliced

2 tbsp of olive oil (or bacon grease if desired)

Method:

Saute onions, carrots, celery, pepper flakes about 4 minutes.

Add chicken or vegetable stock/broth.

Add collards, sausage and beans to the rest. 

Cover and simmer about 1 hour or until vegetables are cooked to your satisfaction.

For vegan recipe, please eliminate the chicken stock, sausage and bacon grease.

Brazilian Style Collard Greens

Brazilian Style Collard Greens

courtesy of Maria-Brazil

• 4 to 5 bunches of collard greens

• butter (use 1/2 tablespoon for every cup of shredded collards)

• Wash the collard greens. Remove the stems and roll the leaves tightly together. Slice into very thin strips with a sharp knife.

• Cook over high heat stirring constantly until collard greens just start to wilt.

• Just before serving, melt the butter and add collard greens. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

For a different taste: 

• Try mincing 1 small onion and 2 cloves garlic and cook in butter until lightly brown.

• Add the collard greens and cook as above.

Mac N Greens - Great Side Dish

Note: be sure to use your family's favorite cheese(s), and squeeze lots of vegetables into this great side dish. Since this is Thanksgiving week, consider serving it as a side with your feast. It's a delicious "left over" which can easily be served with turkey left overs as well. Here it is shown with Tilapia.

Ingredients:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp salt

1 box ziti (pasta)

4 cups milk

1 stick butter

1/2 cup all purpose flour

2 cups grated fontaine cheese

4 cups grated extra sharp cheddar

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 strips of bacon, fried and crumbled (optional)

2 roma tomatoes, sliced (or however many needed to cover top of casserole)

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Method:

1. Chop and Prepare the Collards, cooking until tender as shown here. Saute onion in vegetable oil.

2. Prepare pasta according to box directions. Fry 2 strips of bacon on low heat until desired doneness.

3. Grate Cheese. Heat milk in small sauce pan. Do not boil.

4. Melt butter in 4 quart pot.

5. Add flour to butter, making a rue, stirring with whisk.

6. While whisking, add hot milk and cook for 2 more minutes until thick and smooth.

7. Remove from heat. Add Cheeses, bacon, salt, pepper, onion and nutmeg.

8. Add cooked pasta and stir well. Add collards.

9. Pour into 3 quart baking dish. 

10. Slice tomatoes and arrange on top.

11. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes until cheese is bubbly and browned.

Shown with Tilapia

Collard Green Soup

Many Greens like Swiss Chard, Bok Choy, Spinach and all lettuces are among my favorite veggies! But there is something too bitter or "texturie" about traditional Southern Greens for me. Recently, Jack created a wonderful soup using those beautiful and nutritious collards, and I couldn't get enough. Maybe this recipe will convert you? Make a big batch and freeze several individually-sized portions for future meals. (Take advantage of those pesticide-free collards while they are in season!)

Since this is Thanksgiving Week, try using home made turkey brother, and left over (even unwanted parts?) turkey to make your soup!

Jack’s Collard Green Soup

1 (8-ounce) ham hock

2 (32-ounce) containers chicken broth

3 bacon slices, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/3 cup diced onion

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup water

2-4 ounces Chorizo sausage, sliced

1 mess fresh, pesticide-free collard greens, chopped into 1” squares

1 teaspoon kosher salt (if desired)

1 teaspoon pepper

1 carrot, shredded

2 celery stalks, diced

Prepare fresh Collards.

Boil ham hock and broth in a large pot; Add sliced chorizo sausage, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. (if desired, add a few more cups of water for a less stew-like soup). 

Cook chopped bacon in medium-hot skillet until crisp; remove bacon,

and drain on paper towels, saving the drippings in skillet.

Sauté onion and celery in drippings 5 minutes or until tender in bacon drippings; add bacon.

Stir flour and 1/2 cup water together until smooth (no lumps allowed). 

Stir into bacon, onion and celery mixture.

Stir bacon mixture and collard greens into broth mixture.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour or until collards are

tender.

Remove ham hock. After allowing to cool somewhat, remove meat from bone, dice meat, and add met to soup mixture.

Yields: 12-15 cups.

Prep: 10-20 min.; 

Cook: 1.5 - 2 hours

Prep time varies, depending how much has been previously frozen when greens are in season. This is an excellent freeze-able dish for a yummy meal when time is scarce.

Traditional Simple Collard Greens

(large soup pot or crock pot)

1 "mess" of collards, rinsed and torn

  

Place in pot. Add water about half way up, and cover.

  

Cook until tender, adding water if necessary.

Serve with corn bread or freshly-baked whole wheat bread.

Was that too easy?

Be sure to add your favorite seasonings, oils, and meats for customizing to your family's tastes!

Traditionalists enjoy ham bones, ham hocks, bacon and/or bacon grease in their greens.

NOTE: Vegans use Kelp or Sea Weed and Olive Oil

(left: shown without seasonings so that they may be added to assorted soups, stews, pasta, etc.)

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**Southern-Style Collard Greens**

From Diana Rattray, Your Guide to Southern Food.

INGREDIENTS:

    * 2 pounds of collard greens

    * 1 ham hock or 6 slices of cooked bacon

    * 1 medium onion, sliced or chopped

    * 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

    * 2 to 3 teaspoons Kosher salt

PREPARATION:

Clean and wash greens well; remove tough stems and ribs. Cut them up and place in a deep pot; add onion. Wash off ham hock and add to the pot. Add red pepper and salt. Add enough water to cover greens and cook until tender, about 1 hour.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with sliced tomato and corn bread.

Serves 4 to 6.