Collards Slaw

I had never been exposed to collards before I started volunteering on the farm this summer.  Of course I had heard of the mythical collard greens being a dish served in the South, but that is about all I knew.  There actually have been a number of times this fall that I have confused Swiss chard, collards, mustards, and kale.  To be fair they are all hardy cool season greens that most people Americans never eat.

Most of the hardy greens, including spinach, are cooked to make them more mild and tender.  I have had previous bad experiences with cooked greens (why you'd ever put spinach on a pizza is beyond me) and much prefer to find ways to use them raw.  We usually mix them in with lettuces to create a more delicious salad mix but I was feeling a little more adventurous this time.  After tasting the collards they reminded me a little of cabbage so I decided to try a coleslaw.

I mixed white vinegar, sugar, mustard, and mayo to form the dressing.  I shredded some carrot along with the collards and mixed everything together.  It came together as an excellent side dish.