Mess of Greens

full bellies | warm welcomes

New Years

Mess of Greens Dip

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2017 was a bittersweet year for me. I lost my mama, but gained a new little boy. I’m looking forward to New Year’s Day as a way to move forward and look for the good in the world.

New Year’s Day (when there’s no hangover involved) has always one of my favorite days of the year. Everything seems new, full of possibilities, everyone sticks close to home, hanging by a fire, watching football, and eating greens, cornbread, and black eyed peas….it’s basically the perfect day for cold icy weather (which the south is getting in spades tonight).

The thing is, I know that not everybody is crazy about the New year’s Day tradition of eating greens for money and black eyed peas for luck.Maybe you’re the kind of person who loves a warm bowl of chili instead while you watch the game. Well, lucky for you, I AM crazy about it, and always try to find new ways to eat my greens & peas. My aunt passed along a version of this recipe to me last year and after seeing how fast it disappeared at my little get together last year, it’s going to be a STAPLE every time. It’s basically spinach-artichoke dip all southerned-up. Once you’ve tasted it, it’ll be on your table every year, too….

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New Year, New Take on an Old Favorite: Greens, Bacon, White Bean Pot Pie

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I love cold, wintery weather… the more freezing, the more dreary, the better. I’ve loved these days since college in Virginia, when exams always seemed to fall on the snowiest, coldest days of the year and I would find myself sequestered with my favorite people in our house with soup, DVD marathons of The OC or Sex and the City (yep, college was in the early 2000s). Now when the weather is cold & dreary I can’t help but want to cook ALL the comfort food, watch all the crappy TV, and snuggle under a blanket with my loves. Unfortunately, it never, NEVER gets below 40 degrees in South Mississippi. Like, ever. This week, though, we went from having a rainy 75 degree New Year’s Day, to an icy 23 degree Friday. (and next week we’re looking at 7o degree temps again, too). Anyway, this means that I had to seize the moment and make ALL the food. So far, I’ve roasted a chicken, baked cookies, made curried cauliflower & cabbage soup, and baked this PERFECTION of a pot pie. We ate it on the coldest night while the sleet was peppering our wall of windows, and then we snuggled down to watch something Netflix recommended. I hope you’ll do the same since it’s a delcious way to take advantage of the seasonal greens all over grocery stores, and make a homey, yummy supper.


 
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Author:
Serves: 4-5
What You Need
  • PIE CRUST:
  • 1 Pie Crust
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Tablespoon Milk
  • FILLING
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, diced
  • 4 slices, thick cut ham, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Kale, Collard greens, or chard leaves chiffonaded/sliced into strips
  • 2 cans White (Cannellini) beans, drained
  • SAUCE
  • 3½ Cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 3½ Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3½ Tablespoons all-purpose flour
What to Do
  1. MAKE THE FILLING
  2. Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven, and cook the onions until translucent.
  3. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Add in the celery, carrots, and garlic and sautee' for about 2-3 minutes
  5. In handfuls, put the greens into the pot and stir until wilted.
  6. Once the greens have been wilted, add in the beans in and the ham and bacon.
  7. Cook and stir for 5 minutes and then scoop into 4-5 small ramekins or 1 large deep round corningware dish
  8. MAKE THE SAUCE
  9. In the same dutch oven, and without worrying about wiping it out, melt the butter.
  10. Once it's entirely melted and bubbly, add in the flour a tablespoon at a time and whisk it in vigorously so that it totally incorporates. Continue until you've used all the flour.
  11. Keep stirring and cooking until it's turned golden in color.
  12. At this point, pour in the stock ½ Cup at time and keep stirring.
  13. Cook on medium heat, stirring continuously until thickened and reduced slightly (about 10 minutes)
  14. ASSEMBLE THE PIES
  15. Pour the sauce evenly over the filling.
  16. Put the pie pastry over the top of each pie and cut slits in the top to let out any additional steam
  17. In a bowl, whisk the egg & milk until entirely combined.
  18. Using a pastry brush, paint the tops of each pie for a gorgeous, golden brown crust (not necessary, but HIGHLY recommended)
  19. Bake at 350 until bubbling and golden brown.
  20. Serve hot.