Ham and collard greens is a Southern classic, and one that often takes a long time to stew so those greens are given enough time to break down. The recipe below uses frozen collard greens however, so they're ready to use without a long cook time. And while you could also go to the trouble of braising a ham hock, simply using ham that's already cooked is certainly a time-saver.
The cornbread crust couldn't be easier to make. Any cornbread recipe will work here so if you already have a favorite make it up to the point where you actually pour it into a dish and bake it. But if you're short on time, the pre-mix can bring all the comfort of cornbread in just a few minutes. Any way you cook it, this dish brings an entire Southern meal and puts it all into one dish!
How to make ham and greens casserole with cornbread crust
8
10 minutes
40 minutes
50 minutes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
4 cups cooked ham, chopped in a medium dice
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 16-ounce packages frozen chopped collard greens, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 box of cornbread mix, fully prepared, but not yet baked
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a casserole pan.
In a large saute pan, heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion, ham and crushed red pepper flakes and saute for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
Sprinkle the flour around the bottom of the pan and whisk into the fat. Let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and let cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture has thickened.
Add the collard greens and the salt and stir. Pour into the prepared casserole dish and pour the prepared cornbread batter over top.
Place the dish into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the cornbread is set and fully baked.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.