Best Collard Green Gratin Recipes

COLLARD GREEN GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Place ham on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until crisp, 20-25 minutes; let cool and break into pieces.
• Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet; toast over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and add thyme and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Mix in ham and set aside.
• Cook collard greens in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl of ice water, and let cool. Drain and squeeze dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop greens and place in a large bowl.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened and golden, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to bowl with greens; set aside. Reserve saucepan.
• Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Melt butter in reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth and very pale brown, about 4 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk, 1/2-cupful at a time; add nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 5-8 minutes. Whisk in remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan. Add béchamel to collard greens mixture and mix to combine; season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer collard greens mixture to a 10" cast-iron skillet or 9" pie dish and top with breadcrumb mixture; place pie dish on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until gratin is bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Ham and breadcrumb mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

COLLARD GREEN GRATIN WITH FETA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Pulse the bread and 1 teaspoon oil in a food processor to make coarse breadcrumbs.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a wide, shallow pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the collard greens and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, tossing with tongs, until mostly wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the collard greens are crisp-tender and the liquid is slightly thickened and reduced, abut 5 minutes.
• Transfer the greens and liquid to a shallow 1/2-quart gratin dish. Top with the breadcrumbs and crumbled feta. Bake until the crumbs are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, COLLARD GREEN, AND WILD RICE GRATIN

Steps:

• 1. Put the wild rice in a medium saucepan with 3 cups water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a large pinch of salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the water, about 45 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 425°F. Separate the head of garlic into cloves and peel each clove. Toss the garlic and butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a little salt and pepper on a 13- by 18-inch baking sheet (or two smaller baking sheets). Roast, turning once or twice, until the squash is fully tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove, and reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. 3. While the rice and squash are cooking, remove the thick stems and ribs from the collard greens and discard them; cut the leaves into ribbons. Put the greens in a steamer over 1 inch of salted water in a large pot; cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, and steam the greens until tender, about 10 minutes. 4. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan. Stir about half the Gruyere into the rice; spread the rice mixture into the pan. Arrange the collard greens on top of the rice and drizzle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Layer the squash and garlic on top of the greens, and gently mash them into the greens and rice with a potato masher or fork. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyere and the hazelnuts on top of the squash, and bake the gratin at 400°F until the cheese is melted and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot or warm. (Store leftover gratin covered with foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to a few days.)