– courtesy Whole Foods Market
Southern-Style Baked Eggs with Grits & Collard Greens
Skip the oven all together and top each ramekin of collard greens and grits with an over-easy egg, if you like. Spinach makes an excellent substitute for the collard greens.
2 tbsp butter, plus more for the ramekins
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 cup uncooked grits or polenta (coarse cornmeal)
¼ tsp ground black pepper
8 slices pork or turkey bacon
2 ½ pounds collard greens, stemmed and roughly chopped
8 eggs
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Arrange 8 large buttered ramekins on a large rimmed baking sheet, set aside.
Bring 3 cups water and salt to a boil in a medium pot then whisk in grits and return to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thick and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in pepper and butter.
Divide grits among prepared ramekins.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until just crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop bacon.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease, then add greens to the skillet and cook, tossing often, until wilted and just tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in bacon.
Arrange greens on top of grits in the ramekins.
Crack an egg into the centre of each ramekin and bake until whites are almost set, about 20 minutes.
Set aside to let cool briefly then serve. Serves 8.