Asparagus hard stems can be made to use a stock for soup but however hard you blend them you can't get rid of the woody fibres. You need to strain it. You can do the same with brassica stems but they would taste strongly cabbagy.

Agree with floral - it is a matter of personal taste and choice. You can do it but it is extra work and unless you are really, really hungry you might not like to eat the result.

Dave

When I trim off the collard leaf main stem to use the leaves in food, in which I want the green leafy stuff, I usually snack on them. They are a little tough and chewy, but I understand they cook up soft and nice. I've never detected a particularly strong and annoying flavor. Many people adore them for cooking. Just Google "collard stems". I'd post a "save the stems!" link, but there are a lot of them.

The leaf ribs are usually fine and I cook and serve them all the time but the stalk can be tough. Depends on the age and growing conditions of the plant and how far down the stalk we're talking about. At the base they can be virtually wood. I often make soups using cabbage family vegetables. But a cream of brassica stalk soup doesn't sound too tasty to me.

Btw, asparagus is so expensive that I actually always use the tough bits for stock.

I also use the ends of asparagus spears for soup, and I do chop up stems of things like kale and collards and add them to vegetable soups. They are a bit strong, sometimes, and fibrous, but I have a cream of cabbage soup that I make and I think they'd actually be good in there, in moderation.

Anyway, they are completely edible and in my family we eat them. I cook the larger stems separately from the leaves, because they require a longer cooking time to become tender. I even pickled a batch once, but they were pretty stringy, I'd use smaller stems if I did that again.

Annie

yeah I boil stems too but not way close to stalk. heck last night I BAKED THE GRRENS IN OVEN WITH 2 QTS OF FIlTERED WATER... Cause I don't wanna keep checking on them > I told Hubby if he wanted them stove top to do them himself.. he has quite often... And hope he doesn't fall sleep in his recliner and burn them .I write down the start time on small blackboard and set timers.... AS I multi task and have sev times let water run out or not turned down the stove burner enough... hate burnt pans and the smells of...

thanks all