Simple Measure

I first made this greens and beans dish a few months after I moved to Chicago. I randomly had an issue of Cook’s Illustrated lying around the apartment, and this simple and adaptable recipe jumped out at me.

Little did I know that it would quickly become a big player in my repertoire of fast and easy dinners. Want something healthy that takes about 15 minutes to prepare? Bam! Try greens and beans.

I introduced this dish to Erin one night after I had fallen in love with it. Truthfully, she was a little doubtful about whether it was as satisfying as I promised. She loved it, of course, and added the recipe to her stash of “easy night” suppers, too.

This time around I got to use fresh kale from Erin’s CSA share. You can use just about any green that you prefer, but Erin and I like kale because it retains some of its body and crunch after a quick sauté. The same goes for the vinegar used in the recipe. We like the tart taste of red wine vinegar, but balsamic or even a quick spritz of lemon juice would do the trick if you’re so inclined.

Kale with Cannellini beans

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

1 bunch kale, rinsed, de-stemmed and chopped

1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

1 Tsp olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 can of Cannellini beans

Salt and pepper to taste

One note about cooking with kale: after rinsing, don’t dry the leaves off. Kale is a hearty green, and the water left behind actually helps it become tender as it sautés.

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the red onion and cook until softened, about three minutes.

2. Add the kale. When it starts to cook down, add the red wine vinegar.

4. Add the cannellini beans when the greens are almost at their desired tenderness. When the beans are heated through, the dish is done.

What you’re looking for in the finished kale is a dark green color. If cooked too long, the kale will turn light brown and limp. So add the beans when the kale is still bright and springy, but cooked down enough so that the beans can be easily stirred into the pan.

Serves 2 - 3