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Creamed Collard Greens with Buttered Crumbs

Source of Recipe

From "The Bourbon Country Cookbook" by David Danielson


Recipe Introduction

"Whoever says collards are lowly and uninteresting hasn't eaten them prepared this elegantly. You'll knock them dead at the holiday table with this side dish, and even picky 'I don't like greens' people will line up for seconds."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Pinch kosher salt, plus more to taste
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds collard greens, stemmed and chopped
â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
â—¦ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
â—¦ 1 medium yellow onion, grated
â—¦ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 ½ cups whole milk
â—¦ 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
â—¦ 2 tablespoons finely diced country ham
â—¦ 2 dashes hot sauce
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Recipe

Fill a large metal bowl with ice and cold water and set it aside.

In a large pot, add enough water to fill it halfway. Add a big pinch of the salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the collard greens and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until they turn bright green. Drain the greens and immediately plunge them into the ice bath to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain the greens and squeeze them dry.

In a large skillet over medium heat, place 2 tablespoons of the butter and the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter has been absorbed and the crumbs have a golden color. Transfer to a bowl and set it aside.

In the same skillet used to cook the crumbs, place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the onion. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook off the flour taste. Then whisk in the milk and cream, stirring constantly until completely combined. Add the ham and greens, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the milk is reduced by half and thickened to a light cream.

Stir in the hot sauce, taste, and add salt and pepper as needed. Transfer the creamed collard greens to a serving bowl and top with buttered breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings