Smoky Collard Greens with Melted Blue Cheese
In the south, everyone has their own way of cooking collard greens. My grandmother made hers with a ham hock, tangy mustard and a dash of cinnamon, simmered in her Crock Pot overnight. My version of collard greens is lightly sautéed then seasoned with rosemary, brown sugar, and a dash of cinnamon – just like grandma’s. The bell pepper toast with pungent blue cheese rounds out a meal that feels like home.
MAKES: 4 Servings
PREP TIME: 10 Minutes
COOK TIME: 10 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE COLLARD GREENS:
3 tsp. olive oil (more for drizzle)
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. capers
1 tbsp. salted butter
1 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, cleaned and chiffonade cut (see tip below)
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. hickory liquid smoke
1 cup shredded carrots
FOR THE TOASTS:
8 slices multigrain bread
1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat ½ tsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the onions, capers, butter and ½ tsp. dried rosemary. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the onions are tender and slightly charred. And the brown sugar, cook for 1 minute. Pour in 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar, season lightly with salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Transfer the onions to a bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, add greens and cook over medium-high heat. Season greens with remaining dried rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, liquid smoke, and light salt and pepper.
Let the greens cook for 3 minutes untouched, then toss with tongs. Add the onions back to the pan along with remaining vinegar and hot sauce. Toss well.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook about 3 minutes. (Don’t overcook the greens, they should be rich in color and tender.)
Meanwhile, place the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle each with olive oil, sprinkle with nutmeg. Top each with the bell pepper and crumbled blue cheese. Bake in oven until toasted and cheese is hot and bubbling, about 4 minutes. Remove the greens from the heat and toss with carrots. Taste and adjust with seasonings, if needed.
BRING IT TOGETHER:
Remove the toasts from the oven. Top each with the collard greens and serve.
TIP:
Chiffonade is a term that means “little ribbons” in French. This shape helps greens cook more quickly when sautéing, and herbs to release their flavorful natural oils. First, lay greens flat on top of one another. Next, roll together into a bundle (think about the shape of a thick cigar.) Using a sharp knife, slice through the roll to make thin ribbons.