Southern Collards with Cornmeal Dumplings

Ingredients

Collards:

1 to 1 1/2 pounds smoked turkey wings or necks
2 quarts chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Paula Deen Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon The Lady and Sons House Seasoning, recipe follows
One 1-pound bunch collards, center ribs removed, leaves cut into 1/2-inch strips
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 small onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

For the collards:

In a large pot, combine the turkey wings, broth, hot sauce (add more if you desire) and House Seasoning; simmer for 20 minutes. Add the collards and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 20 minutes more. Stir in the butter. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the turkey wings and discard. Transfer the collards to individual serving bowls, cover them with foil and keep warm. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid for the dumplings and reserve the rest of the cooking liquid in the pot.

For the dumplings:

Combine the cornmeal, flour, onions, salt and pepper in a bowl. Stir in the 1/2 cup reserved collard liquid into the dry ingredients until just combined to form a thick batter.

Bring the collard broth back up to a boil and drop the dumpling batter into it, 1 teaspoon at a time. Simmer until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Cook's Note: Do not use a spoon to stir. Gently shake the pot back and forth. Using a spoon will tear the dumplings apart.

Transfer the dumplings to the bowls of collards. Spoon some of the broth over the collards and dumplings and serve hot.

The Lady and Sons House Seasoning:

1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix the salt, pepper and garlic together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Source: Paula Deen