Creamy Collards
Happy New year's Eve! Today in Charleston, people are cooking up a storm of Hoppin' John, collard greens, and usually something deep fried (I'm making buttermilk brined fried chicken so look for that recipe another day).
I am originally from Boston, where collard greens are not something that most people eat. Thus I did not grow up eating them. I have been blessed with years of restaurant experience here in the Holy City, and every restaurant I have worked in has had their own version. My favorite, BY FAR, is the recipe that Jimmy Snede made at Tristan. I never got the actual recipe, but I have-through trial and error-managed to replicate his collard greens with excellent results. The BEST part of this recipe is that you won't stink up your house with collard smell.
Creamy Collards
1-2 bunches of collard greens-stems removed and the leaves torn into pieces (totaling 1.5Lbs of leaves)
1 Lb. smoked bacon-diced
1 Medium onion-diced
1/4 cup flour
2 Tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 Tbs. Ham bouillon
3 1/2 cups milk
3 1/2 cups heavy cream
Fill a sink with cool water and wash the collards, as they tend to be very gritty with sand. In an large pot of salted water, blanch the collards for 4-5 minutes.
Drain, and shock the leaves in ice water to retain their color. Once the collards are cooled, drain, squeeze dry, and set aside.
In a large pot, cook the diced bacon over medium-low heat until all the fat has been rendered out, and the bacon is super-crispy. Spoon out the bacon, and measure the fat to be sure that you have 1/4 cup in the pot. Add a little butter if you need it. Keeping the heat to medium-low add the diced onions.
Simmer the onions for 8-10 minutes until they caramelize slightly. Add the flour, paprika, and cayenne. Whisk until the flour absorbs all the fat.
Add the ham bouillon, milk, and cream. Turn the heat to high, and while gently stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, bring the mix to a boil. Add the collards, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Pour into a serving bowl, garnish with reserved bacon bits and serve hot.
I am originally from Boston, where collard greens are not something that most people eat. Thus I did not grow up eating them. I have been blessed with years of restaurant experience here in the Holy City, and every restaurant I have worked in has had their own version. My favorite, BY FAR, is the recipe that Jimmy Snede made at Tristan. I never got the actual recipe, but I have-through trial and error-managed to replicate his collard greens with excellent results. The BEST part of this recipe is that you won't stink up your house with collard smell.
Creamy Collards
1-2 bunches of collard greens-stems removed and the leaves torn into pieces (totaling 1.5Lbs of leaves)
1 Lb. smoked bacon-diced
1 Medium onion-diced
1/4 cup flour
2 Tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 Tbs. Ham bouillon
3 1/2 cups milk
3 1/2 cups heavy cream
Fill a sink with cool water and wash the collards, as they tend to be very gritty with sand. In an large pot of salted water, blanch the collards for 4-5 minutes.
Drain, and shock the leaves in ice water to retain their color. Once the collards are cooled, drain, squeeze dry, and set aside.
In a large pot, cook the diced bacon over medium-low heat until all the fat has been rendered out, and the bacon is super-crispy. Spoon out the bacon, and measure the fat to be sure that you have 1/4 cup in the pot. Add a little butter if you need it. Keeping the heat to medium-low add the diced onions.
Simmer the onions for 8-10 minutes until they caramelize slightly. Add the flour, paprika, and cayenne. Whisk until the flour absorbs all the fat.
Add the ham bouillon, milk, and cream. Turn the heat to high, and while gently stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, bring the mix to a boil. Add the collards, reduce heat, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
Pour into a serving bowl, garnish with reserved bacon bits and serve hot.
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