How to cook kale and collard greens for someone who doesn't like them? [duplicate]
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My farmshare vege box is forcing me to confront my least favourite vegetables. I have disliked kale and collard greens when I had them previously because of their bitterness and tough texture. Are there ways of cooking which minimizes these? I have previously tried:
- Raw in salad (too bitter, too tough)
- Sauteed (still too bitter and too tough), maybe I did it wrong?
- In soup, I tried kale as a substitute for spinach in a beef-noodle soup. Toughness decreased after I boiled it for an hour+, but my entire soup became bitter, which I resented.
I've heard kale chips is a possibly promising option -- does baking get rid of the bitterness? I would prefer other suggestions as I was hoping to have them as part of a meal (instead of as a snack).
In general I love a variety of different vegetables, and these two are the only ones I've struggled with, so I was wondering if it ultimately came down to my preparation method.
Best Answer
Wondering if some folks just taste more of the bitter, I came upon: https://www.wired.com/2016/11/edible-science-heres-secret-perfect-kale-salad/
"crushing the leaves breaks down the cell walls of two important chemicals naturally present in kale---the myrosinase enzyme and glucosinolates. When those walls deteriorate, the two chemicals interact and create a new, bitter compound that's biologically designed to fend off hungry enemies."
So there's something to avoid.
Caramelizing might disguise some bitterness.
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How do you get the bitterness out of collard greens?
Use salt. Salt is a friend to bitter greens, whether you plan to eat them raw or cooked. Mellow the bitter flavor with a sprinkle of salt on endive or radicchio, or include anchovies or cured meat (like bacon, pancetta, or proscuitto) along with mustard, beet, or collard greens.How do you cook collards and kale together?
Add half of the collard greens and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Add half of the kale and cook stirring, for about 1 minute, or until the leaves begin to soften. Add the remaining greens and cook, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, until the greens are tender.How do you make leafy greens taste better?
Why do people put vinegar on collard greens?
Removing the thick stem parts and cooking the collards in smoked meat will remove the bitterness out of collard greens. However, some people also add a dash of vinegar to the collards. The vinegar adds additional flavor and will also cut out any bitterness.COLLARD AND KALE | THE VERY BEST MIXED GREENS!
More answers regarding how to cook kale and collard greens for someone who doesn't like them? [duplicate]
Answer 2
Freeze the kale before preparing, as it gets sweeter from that. It will come out looking like before. Overnight is long enough.
Look for more recipes. I grew up eating kale regularly through the winters and where I live it is ripped off its stalks, cooked, cut more finely after cooking, vineger added and then mashed with/through potatos.
Not bitter but rather a lot of work. (Look for Dutch 'boerenkool' recipes, but check if they add vinegar as that makes a difference in the taste.)
I am sure there will be more 'foreign' recipes that will work for you.
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