Creamed Collard Greens & Hearts of Palm

Collard greens are as synonymous with the American South as biscuits. A hearty, bitter green, they are common in grocery stores and especially from the garden. Collards are traditionally braised, usually with a ham hock, for a long time so that they wilt down and become less bitter. We happen to like the taste of collards that are less cooked, preferring that astringent bite, especially when paired with rich dairy. To that end, we created this recipe, which is reminiscent of spinach and artichoke dip, but using collards and hearts of palm instead. We chose to use hearts of palm because they are less strongly flavored and therefore allow the collards to, rightfully, shine. This dish should be served warm from the oven and can be eaten alone as a side or with crostini as an appetizer.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons grapeseed or canola oil          

1 cup      sliced shallots 

1 large bunch     collard greens, stemmed and chopped           

1/4 cup      water  

8 ounces  hearts of palm, chopped         

1 cup      heavy cream   

4 ounces  Neufchâtel or cream cheese, softened 

3/4      cup      grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese 

1/4      cup      grated Gruyère cheese 

1/2      cup      grated mozzarella cheese       

1          tablespoon dry white wine           

1 1/2    teaspoons        Morton kosher salt     

Method

1. Warm the grapeseed oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the shallots, collards, and water and cook for 20 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the collards have fully wilted.

2. Combine the collard mixture and all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and stir to incorporate.                 

3. Transfer the mixture to a greased 9 x 9-inch casserole dish or seasoned 10-inch cast iron skillet and bake for 35 minutes.    
   

Notes For Creamed Collard Greens & Hearts of Palm

• The recipe calls for adding water to help wilt the collards. If they are not wilting fast enough, continue to add water, a little at a time, and cover the pan until they cook through. Be careful, though; you want them to remain bitter since there is a lot of fat in this dish so be sure to turn off the heat once they have just wilted down.