Super Bowl Sunday Recipe: Southern-Style Warm Collard Green Dip with Fresh Pork Rinds

The first Sunday in February is not only the Super Bowl, but the one day of the year that bowls of warm cheesy dips grab our attention. To create a unique Smoky Mountain-style of dip and chips for this year's big game day, prepare an easy cheese and collard - or spinach - dip and serve with pork rinds.

Sunday, February 4, also happens to be National Pork Rind Day -- a day to commemorate the rural snack made and perfected at The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, right in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. Here crackly, puffy pork rinds are freshly fried and tossed with the Old Mill's signature barbecue seasoning before being served to guests or shipped to customers. A pork rind is a piece of dried pork skin, minus most of the fat, that is deep-fried until it crackles like popcorn. It has a salty-rich flavor and crunchy texture, and it is suitable for any dip where you might serve tortilla chips and want a change of taste.

Get your game on for Super Bowl and National Pork Rind Day with this winning dip.


Warm Collard Green and Artichoke Cheese Dip with Pork Rinds

Makes 10 to 12 servings (about 4 cups)
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 25 to 30 minutes

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped collard greens or spinach, thawed and drained well*
1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 rounded tablespoons finely minced red bell pepper
1 teaspoon seasoning salt of your choice, such as The Old Mill Zapp Seasoning
1/2 cup shredded mild Cheddar cheese
Liquid hot pepper sauce or pickled jalapeno pepper slices for serving
2 bags (2 ounces each) The Old Mill Pork Rinds, for serving

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the collards or spinach in a colander or sieve set in the sink, and press down with a large spoon to press out all the water. Turn the drained collards or spinach in a large mixing bowl. Add the artichoke hearts, cream cheese, Parmesan, sour cream, mayonnaise, red pepper, and seasoning salt. Stir to combine well. Spoon the dip mixture into a 5- to 6-cup souffle dish or an 11- by 7-inch glass baking dish. Scatter the shredded cheese over the top. Place the pan in the oven.
3. Bake the dip until it is bubbly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, and serve warm with hot pepper sauce or pickled jalapeno peppers, if desired, and pork rinds.

*If you are using fresh collard greens, wash them well, drain and finely chop. Place about 5 cups fresh collards in a saucepan with chicken stock or water to cover. Simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and let cool. Measure out 1 packed and generous cup of collard greens to use in this recipe.

The Old Mill - candy kitchen, distillery, restaurants, mill, and store is located in the town of Pigeon Forge in East Tennessee. It is one of the most photographed grist mills in the country and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the early 1800s, the mill faithfully produced the meals and flours crucial for day-to-day existence in the Smokies. In fact, it furnished electricity for the town until 1935. Today, the giant water wheel still harnesses the flow of the Little Pigeon River, and with a time-tested system of shafts, belts, and pulleys turns ton-size granite stones and cranks out more than 1,000 pounds of meals, grits, and flours a day. Resident millers hand-fill, weigh, and tie each bag of freshly stone-ground grain.

The Old Mill products are turned into pancakes, biscuits, cornbread, grits, and breads and served at the The Old Mill Restaurant and The Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille, and shipped online. For more information, visit www.old-mill.com or call 877-653-6455 to have The Old Mill flours, grain, mixes, and even pork rinds, shipped to your home or business.

Published February 1, 2018