I know, I know – we are all sick of hearing about kale. We all know how good the leafy, obnoxiously healthy green is for us. And you are probably reaching for the delete button right about now – but wait, hear me out. Last night, I desperately needed a quiet mellow evening – a night to catch up on, well, er – blogging along with a chance to start sketching out the big Thanksgiving Day menu. My comfy couch was beckoning from the living room. My boyfriend was out of town. My first thought -oooooh, I can give that passatelli dish I ate in Le Marche a try. My second thought – I need a nap. My second thought won.
An hour later, I peered into the fridge. Lots of kale. A big hunk of parmigiano. Leftover simple sugar for the now-gone hummingbirds. Hmpf. I took out the hummingbird food. (Kidding!) I pulled out the kale and parmigiano. Pulled some cannellini beans from the pantry and viola, my perfect couch dinner was born.
So if you need a simple, easy, quick dinner, give this a go. (Toss in some sausage if you want to add a bit of heartiness.) Perfect for a quiet nite on the couch. And it will leave you plenty of extra time for that nap.
xoxo
Michele
Sauteed Tuscan Kale and White Beans with Shaved Parmigiano
Ingredients:
2 large bunches Tuscan kale (Lacinto kale) or other type of kale
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes or to taste
1 cup vegetable stock or water (or more)
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans
2 wide strips lemon zest, very thinly sliced
½ lemon
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Hunk of Parmigiano
Extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Cut out the heavy ribs from the kale. Stack the kale leaves on top of each other. Fold in half and cut into 1-inch slices crosswise.
In a large sauté or cast iron pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and hot pepper flakes. Saute until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. (Be careful not to let the garlic burn or it will be bitter.)
Add the kale and stock. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes until the kale is wilted and cooked through. Fold in the beans and lemon zest. Squeeze the lemon juice over the kale. Leave uncovered and cook until the beans are heated and liquid is almost fully absorbed, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Shave Parmigiano over the top and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve!