Braised Collards with Tomato and Chicken Sausage Over Polenta

This richly savory dish is inspired by a happy marriage of Southern and Italian cooking. Sweet Italian sausage, onions, and garlic contrast beautifully with the deeply satisfying flavors of tomatoes and collard greens. Collard greens, a member of the cruciferous family, are nutrient dense and low in calories. They’re an excellent source of calcium, folate, and vitamins K, C, and A. Furthermore, they’re high in fiber and antioxidants. They may have anti-cancer properties and they boost bone, eye, and heart health. This delicious dish is perfect for cold winter nights and the whole family will love it.

Makes: 8 servings
Time to cook: 60 minutes

Ingredients

· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

· 10 ounces uncooked sweet Italian-style poultry sausage link, casings removed

· 1 medium sweet onion, sliced into half moons

· 6 cloves garlic, smashed

· 28 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added, with their juices

· 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

· 1 rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (1/2 cup), for serving

· 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

· One 16-ounce bag chopped collard greens OR one 1 1/4-pound bunch collard greens, stems removed, washed well and coarsely chopped (8 cups)

· Salt

· Freshly ground black pepper

· 1 1/2 cups uncooked polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal)

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage in pinches; cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with a spoon into smaller pieces, until it is well browned.

2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until it is fragrant, then add the tomatoes one at a time, squeezing each one with your hand to break it up as you add it to the pot along with any juices in the can. (Alternatively, you can put the tomatoes into the pot and use a potato masher to break them up.)

3. Add the broth, Parm rind and crushed red pepper flakes. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the sausage and the collard greens; increase the heat once more to high just long enough to return the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low; cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the greens are just tender. Taste, and season with salt and black pepper, as needed. Remove from the heat; cover to keep warm until the polenta is ready or refrigerate for up to 4 days.

5. Cook the polenta according to the package directions, to a soft and porridge-like consistency.

6. Divide the polenta among serving bowls, top with the braised collards mixture and sprinkle with the cheese. Serve hot.

Nutrition per serving
290 calories; 10 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 5 grams fiber; 5 grams sugar; 490 milligrams sodium

Recipe by Virginia Willis, The Washington Post  

‍