NRW 4-Brown Butter Greens

New Recipe Week 4: Brown Butter Creamed Greens

Trying to get more greens into our diet I've been looking for savory recipes that appeal to our taste. Looks like I found a winner! This week we tried out Brown Butter Creamed Collard Greens from Epicurious.com

I made some changes to the recipe and used the same pot for each step cuz I had a fussy baby taking up my left arm:-) It's a long process to make but well worth it.

We loved this creamy steamy goodness and will be making it again except without the red pepper flakes and less salt. The recipe doesn't account for the salt in the pork and the greens already have their particular spice so none need to be added.

3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided (1 & 2)
1 Tbsp Flour
1 C. Milk (I used Non-Fat)
2 Tbsp Shallot (Sliced)
1/2 California Bay Leaf
1/8 Tsp Coarse Ground Pepper
2 lbs mixed winter greens such as collards, mustard greens, and kale
3 Slices of Bacon, cut into 1/4 inch  slices
1/2 C. Onion (Chopped)
1/4 C. Heavy Cream
1/2 Tsp Crushed Garlic
1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes (I will omit next time)
1 Tsp Cider Vinegar

-Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a heavy pot over medium heat, then add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

-Add milk in a stream, whisking, then add shallot, bay leaf, and pepper and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Strain Béchamel sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and cover surface with parchment paper.

-Discard stems and center ribs from greens, then coarsely chop leaves.

-Cook Bacon in the pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown but not crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

-Heat 2 Tbsp butter in pot with bacon grease over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, then cook onion, stirring, until softened.

-Increase heat to medium-high, then stir in greens, 1 handful at a time, letting each handful wilt before adding next. Add Béchamel, Cream, Garlic, 1/4 Tsp Salt, and 1/2 Tsp Pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring, until sauce coats greens and greens are tender.

-Stir in Bacon & Vinegar.

I served this with Pesto Pasta and Butternut Squash using this recipe (also new:-)