This collard greens soup with cornmeal dumplings is full of smoke, spice and soul

In putting together a roundup of collard green recipes recently, my recipe developer wheels started spinning as I thought of other potential ways it could be used. I wanted to stray - slightly - from my usual Southern-style collard greens, and a soup with sausage came to mind. Presumably because ground corn was on the brain as I was writing a guide on the topic, I decided on cornmeal dumplings as a worthy addition.

I love sausage for its smoke and spice, both of which I've amped up in this recipe with the addition of smoked paprika and crushed red pepper flakes. (If you can't find sausage, any other smoked sausage can be used in its place.) Canned fire-roasted tomatoes lend even more smokiness and umami, and, combined with the sausagesausage, bring a Creole flair to this soul-food-inspired dish.

Ribbons of collard greens get sauteed to jump-start the cooking process and are then simmered until tender, the timing of which can vary depending on the greens themselves and how tender you like them. With the base of the soup done, all that's left are the cornmeal dumplings. I have no recollection of ever eating cornmeal dumplings before developing this recipe, but I now plan to add them to my regular rotation. In this particular recipe, the dumplings offer subtly sweet relief from the robust, spicy soup.

Toni Tipton-Martin included a recipe for collard greens with cornmeal dumplings in her award-winning book "Jubilee," of which she writes, "This is a totemic soul food dish," as it evokes the classic soul food pairing of cornbread and collard greens. I used her recipe as a starting point for my dumplings, tweaking it slightly to streamline the steps and overall number of ingredients, among other things. Any coarseness of cornmeal will do, but I enjoy the balance of tenderness and texture a medium grind provides.

I use olive oil instead of butter. And my cornmeal dumplings have a higher proportion of sugar for a slightly starker contrast against the spiciness of the soup. These ingredients combined with some flour, leavener, salt and liquid from the soup itself form the batter for the dumplings, which then get gently nestled into the simmering pot, just as you might slowly ease into a hot tub while holding a glass of Champagne. A small cookie scoop is great for forming the dumplings if you have it; otherwise, spoons will do.

The result is a bowl of warmth, comfort and soul that smacks you in the face with flavor - perfect for breaking free of winter's doldrums and embracing the potential and vivacity of spring.

SAUSAGE AND COLLARD GREENS SOUP WITH CORNMEAL DUMPLINGS

Active time: 30 minutes; Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

SERVES 4-6; ; makes about 9 cups

Sausage and smoked paprika fortify store-bought chicken stock for an intensely flavorful and smoky broth in which ribbons of collard greens are simmered until tender. Canned fire-roasted tomatoes add to the smokiness of the soup, and, combined with the sausage, bring a Creole flair to this soul food-inspired dish. Once the collard greens are tender, spoonfuls of cornmeal batter are nestled into the simmering broth and add a subtle sweetness to balance out the robust soup. If you're unable to find sausage, you can substitute with another smoked sausage, such as kielbasa.

Storage Notes: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

FOR THE SOUP

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 12 ounces sausages, diced (may substitute smoked sausage such as kielbasa)
  
• 1 bunch (10 to 12 ounces) collard greens, washed, de-stemmed, if desired, and cut into 1/4-inch thick ribbons
  
• 1 small yellow onion (about 5 ounces), sliced
  
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 4 cups (1 quart) unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock
  
• One (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
  
• 1 cup water

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4 cup cornmeal, preferably medium grind
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS Make the soup: In a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the collard greens, onion, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables soften and the onion starts to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and water to the pot, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to keep it at a simmer, until the collard greens are tender, anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or more depending on the age of the greens and how much chew you want them to have. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the potlikker and set aside.

Make the dumplings: In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and give it a stir. Whisk the olive oil and reserved potlikker into the dry ingredients until evenly combined.

Carefully spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the dumpling batter at a time into the simmering soup at least 1 inch apart to get 12 dumplings, cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, dividing the dumplings evenly among them and serve.

Nutrition (Based on 6 servings) | Calories: 299; Total Fat: 16 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 35 mg; Sodium: 895 mg; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Dietary Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 5 g; Protein: 14 g.