By Joyce Peters
Beans & Greens is a healthy, wintry dish that features greens at their peak sweetness and tenderness.
- 8 ounces of dried white beans or chickpeas
- 1 medium onion, peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 clove
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- 1 bunch (about 1 ½ lbs.) greens – kale, collards, broccoli raab, swiss chard
Wash well and roughly chop. Any tough stems should be discarded. - 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (more if you like)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for finishing
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Check dried beans for rocks or debris and remove them. Rinse beans. Put in a large pot of water to cover. Soak overnight if you have time, otherwise just start boiling. Cut a slit in the onion and insert the bay leaf and clove. Put the onion into the boiling pot. Adjust heat to a simmer; cover partially and cook. Stir occasionally.
When the beans start to soften (30 minutes to an hour), season with salt and pepper. Check if you need to add water. Cook until tender.
Add the chopped greens and cook until tender (10-30 minutes). You can add more water if you like it soupy. You can add cayenne pepper for a little kick.
Remove the onion. Taste and adjust seasoning. A few minutes before serving, add the garlic.
To serve, spoon into bowls, drizzle some olive oil on top and garnish with cheese.
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.