Not having grown up a southern girl, and being a person who has (snobbishly, foolishly) disdained southern cooking, I don't know if I'm qualified to judge. But I think this might be soul food.
How can I tell with my limited experience, you ask? Well, because it warms my soul.
The bottom layer is polenta (OK, grits). I use Heather's ratio of 6 1/2 cups water to 1 2/3 cups polenta, and cook it over medium heat--stirring constantly--until a wooden spoon will stand up in it. About halfway through, I toss in whatever herbs I have on hand. You can't go wrong with the Scarborough Fair combo--parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. A handful of Parmesan cheese tossed in at the end will not be amiss, either. (Oh, and if there is leftover, pour it into a loaf pan and refrigerate. It will solidify, and you can then cut it into slices to broil or fry the next day.)
The green stuff is kale. (Although sometimes when they're available I do use actual collard greens.) I've been on a huge kale kick this winter. It goes with everything, and I never seem to get bored with it, even though I always end up cooking it the same way--wilted and braised with onions and garlic.
And then, a poached or fried egg to top everything off and add a smidge of protein.
I think this is winter's answer to July tomatoes. Soul food, indeed!
