Collard Greens and Black Eyed Peas with Cheesy Grits

Smoky collard greens and tender black eyed peas served over cheesy grits turn a New Year's Day tradition into an everyday hearty breakfast.

New Year's Day Collard Greens

I grew up a child of two cultures; South Korea and the American South. At no time is that more apparent than New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. As long as I can remember I've served Korean Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup on New Year's Eve, and collard greens and black eyed peas on New Year's Day.

Although I make my Korean soup at other times during the year, for some reason I have kept my collards as an annual treat. No more! In this recipe, I'm bringing my love of smoky greens and black eyed peas to the breakfast table and you're going to love them! I'm serving them over easy cheesy grits for an actual stick-to-your-ribs breakfast experience. And see that broth around the grits? That's called pot likker, and it's liquid ambrosia! I want you to feel the South in your bones, y'all!

Ingredients in Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas Grits Bowl

• Water and milk Most grits recipes tell you to start with water and maybe finish with a little milk. Not me. I go half and half with water and milk because I like my grits extra creamy.
• Cheddar cheese This adds additional creaminess and flavor to the grits that really pairs well with the collards and the black eyed peas.
• Andouille sausage This is a smoked sausage that is very popular in the Deep South. I add this to bring in the smoky flavor normally found in collard greens, without having to use a big ham hock or smoked turkey wings.
• Shallots and garlic Unless you're allergic, there aren't many savory dishes that can't be improved with a little shallots and garlic.
• Collard greens Closely related to cabbage and kale, collard greens are a very large leafy vegetable that is normally slowly braised. I've cracked the code on making them tender and delicious without the wait.
• Chicken broth I usually cook my collards in broth. In this recipe it helps to tenderize them as well as give you the flavor of a pot likker without a long cooking time.
• Fresh thyme This adds a bright herbaceous note to the pot likker broth.
• Tomatoes To brighten the deep, rich pot likker, and all the other amazing flavors in this bowl, I added a bit of fresh tomato at the end.

How to make this grits bowl

• Prep Preparing everything ahead of time (called "mise en place" in French) is a huge help when following a recipe that cooks so quickly. Finely dice your shallots and mince your garlic. Slice your andouille sausage into discs and then each disc into quarters. Drain and rinse your black eyed peas. Thoroughly wash your collard greens and remove the hard center stems from each leaf. Stack a few leaves on top of each other, roll them up, and slice into ½ to 1 inch ribbons.

• Make grits Bring water and milk, seasoned with salt and pepper, to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add in grits while whisking constantly with a large whisk. Reduce heat and let cook while covered until thickened, whisking occasionally. Stir in butter and cheese. Adjust seasoning to taste. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

• Sauté Add oil to a 12 inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Sauté until browned, 5-7 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

• Greens and Black Eyed Peas Add collard greens and broth to the pan and cook until the greens are wilted and the broth has reduced a bit - another 2 to 3 minutes. Add thyme leaves, black eyed peas, and tomatoes and warm through.

• Serve Place a serving of cheesy grits in the bottom of your bowl. Add Collard greens and black eyed peas mixture and drizzle all over with the pot likker from the bottom of the pan. Top with a fried egg, if desired.

Storage and reheating instructions

• Storage Store grits and greens mixtures in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Reheating grits Grits are best reheated on the stovetop. Place grits in a nonstick pan with a small amount of water, broth, or milk. Reheat on low, stirring frequently to break up any large chunks. Add more liquid if needed. Whisk to smooth texture before serving hot. You can also use the microwave, adding liquid and reheating in 30 second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth and hot.
• Reheating collard greens and black eyed peas These can be reheated on the stove, or in a microwave, until hot, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.

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