Comfort Food

I had a serious hankering for some old fashioned comfort food today, so I thought some collard greens would fit the ticket quite nicely. And bo-oy were they yummy! Growing up I thought greens were gross, as most kids do I'm sure. Then I'd eat them if they were saturated in butter and sour cream...them's some good eats. But, them's also some seriously fattening eats too. So, when the husband requested them a few months ago along with some stewed tomatoes and cornbread, apparently a favored comfort food while visiting the sandbox for 15 months, I decided to tone down the fats a bit.

Now, usually I use the turkey-ham like in the recipe - it's full flavored and super low-fat...well, for meat at least - and it works very well in the recipe. Today I was feeling particularly gluttonous used some nice thick cut bacon.

I think I'm going to go eat the leftovers now...


* 2 lbs collard greens
* 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/2 cup jennie-o turkey ham, diced
* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 tablespoon butter
* 1-2 cup water
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* cracked black pepper

1. In a 3 quart saucepan over medium high heat heat the olive oil just until the scent of the oil starts to bloom.
2. Add the butter and allow to melt in the oil.
3. Add the turkey ham and saute for about 3 minutes or until you start to get those little brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the onion and stir with the ham, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Saute for about 2 minutes.
6. Add half of the collard greens and allow to cook down some, about 1 minute or so.
7. Add the last of the collard greens and stir until the greens, onions and bacon are combined.
8. Cook over medium high heat for about 2 minutes.
9. Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir again.
10. Allow to come to a boil over medium heat.
11. Reduce temperature to low and simmer for 30 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain a constant simmer but not let it boil.