Being a Botany student in my Bachelor’s and a food enthusiast, why don’t I clear some of the doubts regarding collard greens UK people have.
In short, collard greens comes under the green leafy vegetable category with some of the essential nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C and other minerals.
Basically, collard greens belong to the mustard family (family is a category like term used in botany) and is form of cabbage (understand it for simplicity).
What are collard Greens?
Collard Greens uk variant are a form of Cabbage having touch stems with green dark leaves arranged widely. All these kale, turnips, mustard greens all belong to the same plant family.
Those above mentioned vegetables have the similar character associated with them. That is why they give the opportunity for replacement. They are wise choice for the foodies who prefer slow cooking including steaming, braising, simmering.
The edible part of this vegetable is it wide spread dark green leaves. Consumption of this veggies are coming with a trend for more than 2000 years. The plant is still in high demand and is cultivated widely in various part of the country excluding UK. The ancient cultivator of this collard were the Greeks, as referred by the sources.
Hope I am able to clear your queries regarding “what are collard” .
Therefore, for more belief let me introduce its cultivation structure in short.
Though the cultivation of this collard is observed year around but real taste and nutrition is experienced only after the first frost.
Whereas, the potential time to get the best texture in collard ;leaves is just before it reaches its ultimate size. The age of this plant has nothing to do with the flavour it offers.
What are collard greens called in the UK?
Like the other parts of the world, in UK this veggies is known by the name Collard Greens only. You should keep in mind, many people refer collard green as spring greens or kale but in reality they are the collard greens substitutes and not the name.
Though they share the same character with each other, but according to botanical science, it differ a lil bit also.
Do this veggies is cultivated in the UK?
Sadly, no. Collard greens are not cultivated in the UK. Whereas, Kale a substitution of collard greens is being cultivated here.
- The major collard greens producing counties in the world includes
- Kenya
- India
- Portugal
- Zimbabwe
- Brazil
- Italy
- Southern Unites states
- Northern Spain
Where to Buy this vegetable in UK?
Be thankful to the supermarkets like Tesco for importing collard greens uk in their stock from the collard producing countries, as it is not a native veggie to UK.
Though you don’t need to worry much even if you failed to find this collard greens. You can go for its substitutes. Trust me, kale, cabbage or spring greens can even give the same deliciousness to your dish. Moreover, they are easily available all over the UK.
Tips you should know regarding collard greens UK storage
The storage procedure is though simple but still unfamiliar to most of the collard lovers. You need to follow some prior steps before you store it in your refrigerator.
Firstly, you need to boil the washed out sepearated collard greens in a large water pot.
secondly, give it atleast 2 minutes for the greens to blanch.
Eventually, you need 2 more minutes to make use of ice water to plunge them, after boiling is over.
Make use of the zipper bags( best) to place the collard after you dry them out. You can use perforated plastic bag also.
Remember to make sure that you expelled all the air present on the bag before you move to seal them.
Store it in your refrigerator now.
Note: The greens should be dry before you place them in the zipper bag. Make use of paper to expelled out excess water to ensure the crisp.
Nutrition associated with Collard Greens UK variant
Being a foodie and a collard greens lover, it is your responsibility to know the nutrition a greens can offer you. So, after your cleared the doubt “what are collard greens UK” you should also clear the nutrition confusion.
The first benefit and nutrition a greens can offer you is richness in both fiber and water content. They are a great food for inhibiting constipation and a healthy digestive system.
Beside this collard greens also offer a variety of Vitamins. These Vitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Vitamin B6. Moreover, presence of iron, magnesium, choline, niacin, pathothenic acid and thaimine cannot be ignored.
The power to neutralize free radicals are great specularity of collard greens with a great containment of antioxidants. Therefore, this tasty veggies has great advantage to reduce diseases such as diabetes and cancers. It also keep a check on heart disease.
Above all, the availability of folate in collard is greatly beneficial. Though it is offered by other green leafy vegetables also but it perform a special role in growth of a baby in a pregnant women. It also enhance growth in small children.
Other important anti-oxidant found in collard is lutein. It belong to the Vitamin A family and perform the function of keeping vision health intact. It proves to be advantagious in other aspects also including degeneration related to age or other eye diseases.
Eventually, consuming anything in excess can also bad for health and there is no exception for collard also. A high consumption of collard can give birth to painful stones in your kidneys due its oxalates presence.
So, I would like to advice to take collard on a rare basis fi you are already suffering from kidneys related issues. moreover, raw consumption of collard greens can give rise to problems associated with your thyroid functions.
Read: How to add more taste with provolone cheese to your dish.
Tips related with the collard greens preparation
In the cooking matter, most of my guidance I receive is from my Mother. She is an excellent chef and it plays a role to bring my interest in food.
Similarly, in case of collard greens uk cooking her guidance to me is a boon. The cooking of collard should be done in light which infact don’t interfere with its nutrients contained.
As all vegetables are cultivated in soil , it is obvious to wash them thorougly at first to flush out all the dirt present in the. Eventually, you need to remove the stem from the leafy part.
Usually, the leaf are the edible part of collard but stems are also consumed by many people. These stems needed to be cooked for long time depending of the size of the pieces, how you chopped them.
The preparation of collard depends of the recipes of certain dishes. Like collard can a part of certain recipes in raw form and on other can be in boiled or steamed form.
All the nutrients and vital minerals contained in collard are safe with steaming preserves. And that is why it is recommended. On other hand, boiling for long can eventually destroy those vitamins and minerals.
Though there exist a 3rd way also, known by the name Sauteing. It is also an acceptable way in addition with garlic and olive oil. Lemon juice and enhance the vitality of serve.
Ending statement:
Though collard greens uk are winter season veggies, yet its availability can be found in the supermarket throughout the year in UK. You should go for the collard having dark green leaves (they are considered better qualities) and don’t forget to store them in refrigerator.
They are almost similar to other green veggies(e.g kale and cabbage) and are extremely easy to cook and I promise it still won’t comprise with its taste.
