Recipe Background
Cozy up with a creamed greens casserole, perfect for snowy day celebrations.
The winter of my junior year of culinary school was particularly harsh. We were buried under snow, assignments piling up like drifts against the campus walls. I had just aced a tough exam, and the celebration was simple: a cozy meal with my roommate, who was all about comfort over formality. We decided to whip up a creamed greens casserole, a dish neither of us had tackled before. Our tiny kitchen was overloaded with ingredients, the counter hosting piles of Lacinato kale and collard greens. It was the perfect sort of chaos that keeps friendships warm even in freezing weather.
As I chopped the garlic a little too enthusiastically, my roommate crafted a perfect breadcrumb mixture with olive oil and a pinch of salt. We discussed everything from the merits of finely chopped garlic to how not to scald the cream cheese in the hot pot. The onions sizzled away in a Dutch oven, releasing a rich aroma that held the promise of something truly indulgent. Once the greens wilted and melded with the cream cheese, fontina, and half-and-half, we knew we had something magical. A layer of garlicky breadcrumbs on top was the finishing touch that signaled success.
We baked it until it turned golden and bubbly, the kitchen filled with cheerful hums of anticipation. That little apartment room became a haven, the bite of fontina contrasting beautifully with tender greens against the snowy world outside. The rich, creamy texture paired with a crusty top was our well-deserved reward after the stress and snow. In a way, the casserole became synonymous with warmth and camaraderie, a reminder of how shared culinary adventures can melt more than just cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic finely chopped, divided
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 (8-ounce) bunches fresh Lacinato kale stemmed and thinly sliced
- 1 (1-pound) bunch fresh collard greens stemmed and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons water
- 6 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup fontina cheese shredded
- 1 cup half-and-half
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, add the breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and stir to combine.
- In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the remaining olive oil.
- Add the onions to the hot oil and cook, while stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining garlic to the hot oil and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the kale, the collard greens, and the water to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring, until the greens are wilted and tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, the fontina, the half-and-half, the black pepper, the remaining salt, and the crushed red pepper to the greens mixture and cook, while stirring constantly, until just heated through and the cheese is melted, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the greens mixture to the preapred baking dish.
- Sprinkle the greens mixture with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake until golden and bubbly, about 15 minutes.
- Serve.
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