The Three B's Collards

The 3 B’s Collards

            Classical music lovers are going to be disappointed with this column, for the unlikely title does not imply that I have somehow discovered an obscure association between Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and collards. The three B’s refers to the much less august company of beer, bourbon and bacon as important in the culinary sphere as the revered composers are to classical music. 

            This all started as many of my kitchen adventures with what the garden has produced in season.  This year it was an abundant crop of collards, which I had not grown previously and now that the fall had taken care of the rest of the garden, this beautiful crop of lovely dark green leaves, still standing proudly in one of my raised beds, was challenging me to find an equally delicious way to cook them.

            Well, collards are a member of the cabbage family, laced with vitamins and all kinds of other healthy compounds, but unlike cabbage, broccoli and kale, collards seemed less approachable in ease of cooking. Of course, there is a long tradition of collards being one of the staples of southern cooking with smoked ham hocks and hours of simmering on the back of the stove.

            This led me to consult Southern Living magazine, that my North Carolina daughter in law thoughtfully subscribes for me every Christmas to make sure that my foodie horizons do not get too narrow here in Maine. Sure enough, periodically they publish a variety of collard recipes and some have even suggested that the cooking time does not have to be as extensive as one presumed it to be. One recipe did catch my attention, since it required not only bacon, but also beer and bourbon as typical Southern ingredients. To make a long story short, some experimentation and modification of the recipe produced a truly outstanding green vegetable side that would go well with Thanksgiving turkey, steaks, chops and even chicken.

                         Bacon, Beer and Bourbon Collards

            Wash, stem and trim 2 bunches of collards, then rolling up batches of leaves, slice them in ¼ inch threads and set aside. Cut 4 thick slices of bacon in half inch pieces and sauté in a Dutch oven until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 1 Tblsp. of the bacon fat and sauté 1 large coarsely chopped onion for 5 minutes, stir in one minced garlic clove. Stir in 1 (12 oz) can of beer, 1/3 cup bourbon, ¼ cup sugar, 3 cloves, 1/3 tsp. crushed red pepper (or less if you want it less spicy), bring to boil and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. With the pot on medium high heat, start adding the collards in batches, stirring until all leaves are wilted. Stir in reserved bacon and 1 cup of chicken broth or more to cover. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning with salt, stir in ½ cup cider vinegar and simmer for a few more minutes.

            This dish keeps well in the refrigerator for several meals, is easily reheated and could even be served for lunch with a fried egg on top.

            For a cooked, green vegetable dish, the three B’s collards even garnered what passes as high praise from my husband. “Not bad” was his Midwestern type assessment, even though he thought that the bourbon might have tasted better in a glass with some ice.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)