Blt Braised Bacon Collards And Tomato Jam Recipes

BRAISED COLLARDS WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add greens, cover, and cook until mostly wilted, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until completely wilted, 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add tomatoes, breaking them apart as you go. Add ham hock and 3 cups water and bring to a boil; reduce to a medium simmer. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender and ham separates from bone, about 2 1/2 hours, adding more water if needed.
• Remove ham from pot and let rest until cool enough to handle. Discard skin and bone; dice meat. Return ham to pot; stir in beans. Season with salt and pepper. Serve collards with rice.

TOMATO AND BACON JAM

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels. Crumble bacon when cool.
• Stir tomatoes, sweet onion, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce together in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Stir in crumbled bacon and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the spread is very thick, about 1 hour. Adjust salt and black pepper.
• Cool and spoon into a 1-pint glass jar with a lid; keeps refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 2 months. If freezing, put spread into small jars and let jars thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.

BLT WITH TOMATO JAM AND PEPPER JELLY BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Chop tomatoes into approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces. Spread out evenly on baking sheet along with onion, garlic, and thyme.
• Bake for 1 hour. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
• Whisk together honey, oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Drizzle over tomatoes.
• Return pan to oven and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool. Scrape all contents of baking sheet into a bowl. Stir to combine, mashing while you stir to break down the tomatoes and form more of a cohesive mixture.
• To make bacon, lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place bacon on pan and lightly brush top side with pepper jelly. Place in 400 degree oven and bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until fully cooked.
• For each sandwich, spread 1 piece of bread with mayonnaise. Top with lettuce, tomato jam, and 2 pieces bacon, and then top piece of bread.

BRAISED COLLARDS IN TOMATO-ONION GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat a medium skillet over high heat. Add the cored tomatoes and cook until they are charred on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade.
• Let the skillet cool slightly by taking it off the heat or decreasing the heat, depending on how smoking-hot your skillet is. Have the heat at low and add the oil (the skillet will still hold a great deal of heat). Add the onion and garlic, and saute, stirring occasionally, until both are a deep golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let them cool slightly. Transfer to the food processor bowl containing the reserved charred tomato, and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the chopped collards and cook until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

COLLARD GREENS WITH TOMATOES AND GARLIC

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat; add the garlic, onions, and jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes, collard greens, bay leaves, and thyme; cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until collards are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and jalapeno and discard; season with salt and pepper.
• This dish can be prepared a day in advance and reheated.

BACON AND TOMATO JAM

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium-high, cook the bacon until crispy, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain excess fat, blotting it dry with additional towels as needed.
• In a large saucepan, combine the tomatoes, onion, sugar, cider vinegar, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, stirring often, then reduce heat to medium.
• Crumble the bacon into the tomato mixture.
• Simmer until very thick, about 1 hour.
• Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
• Let the jam cool, then ladle into jars.
• Can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days, or frozen up to 2 months.
• If freezing, divide the jam among several small jars.
• When ready to use, let the jar thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

BLT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, tossing once, until dry to the touch and slightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat starts to render and bacon browns, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a small bowl, reserving 3 Tbsp. fat.
• Whisk eggs, stock, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and 2 Tbsp. bacon fat in a large bowl. Add bread and gently toss to combine. Add bacon and tomatoes and stir to combine. Let sit until bread has absorbed most of the liquid, about 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Add lettuce to bread mixture and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a 13x9" baking dish and bake until top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Brush surface with remaining 1 Tbsp. bacon fat, turn broiler on, and continue baking until tops of bread are glistening and well toasted, 3-5 minutes more. Garnish with chives, if using, and serve immediately.
• Do Ahead
• Bread can be dried out 3 days ahead; store in an airtight container at room temperature. Bacon can be cooked 3 days ahead; cover and chill.