Recipe: Citrus Collards with Raisins

October 26, 2025RecipesRecipes: Non-Starchy Veggies

Hearty greens can be flavorful without the traditional use of added fats and oils.  Balancing their bitterness with salt, sweet, and a little acid in the orange juice, these Citrus Collards with Raisins are a deliciously different preparation.  With a process like blanching, we can speed up cooking time while still achieving a tender texture for the greens.

Blanching is essentially a quick boil followed by rapid cooling in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.  This preserves the bright green color, flavor, and texture in a way that traditional boiling does not.  Blanching is also used to prepare vegetables for freezing (such as green beans) to ensure they retain their quality, it helps to remove the skins of fruits like tomatoes or peaches, and decreases the microbes on food.

The water used for blanching contains some water-soluble vitamins and minerals that are leached from the food during its brief cook time, and it can be used to add flavor and nutrients to soups, stews, and sauces.  Keep in mind it will have a high sodium content (which could be diluted), must be stored properly, and used within a few days for food safety.

Citrus Collards with Raisins

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp salt
• 2 large bunches collard greens
• 1/2 C vegetable broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 C raisins
• Juice of 1 orange
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and add salt.
2. Rinse the collards in the sink under running water.  Remove the ribs and pat the leaves dry.
3. Place collards onto a cutting board and slice into fine threads, about 1/2″ thick.
4. Add the collards to the pot of salted water and cook, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until softened.
5. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of ice water to cool the collards after cooking.
6. Remove the collards from the heat, drain, and plunge them into a bowl of cold water to stop cooking and maintain the color of the greens.  Drain by gently pressing the greens against a colander.
7. In a sauté pan over medium heat, combine the broth and garlic.  Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula for 1 minute.
8. Add the collards and raisins and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
9. Add orange juice and cook for an additional 15 seconds, ensuring not to overcook the greens.
10. Remove the sauté pan from the heat and season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Swaps:

• For the collard greens: mustard greens, turnip greens
• For the raisins: chopped dried apricots or dates