Sausage and White Bean Stew with Kale
Cook with Steve Peacock: Better Homes & Gardens ~ March 2012 issue
All vegetables except canned tomatoes that I used in this recipe came fresh from our Bastrop 1832 Farmer's Market.*
This recipe requires planning. The dried beans need to soak overnight before cooking.
Soak: 8 hr. Prep: 30 min. Cook: 45 min. Stand: 30 min.
1 lb great Northern beans, picked through**, soaked overnight in water, drained, and rinsed
8 or 9 cups homemade chicken stock, unsalted chicken stock, or reduced-sodium chicken broth (I used the latter)
3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced onions* (2 medium)
1/2 cup diced celery* (3 stalks)
1/2 cup peeled and diced carrots* (1 to 2 medium)
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped garlic (about 3 cloves); remove any green shoots inside
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, crushed (I used fresh thyme*)
1 14.5-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained & crushed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch black kale or regular kale*, washed and stemmed (about 8 cups)
1 lb. smoked sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille (I used the latter), cut in 1/2-inch slices
1. In a heavy nonreactive 4- to6-quart Dutch oven combine drained and rinsed beans, 8 cups stock, and a generous pinch of kosher salt (I used Mediterranean sea salt). Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 30 to 45 minutes, until beans are tender, stirring occasionally and adding stock if level is below top of beans. Beans should move about easily in the stock. Cooking time for beans varies from batch to batch.
2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet heat the 3 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Cook onion in oil until translucent, stopping before onion browns. add celery, carrots, and garlic; sprinkle with a pinch of salt and dried thyme. Stir well. Cook 5 to 7 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes; season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer. Add to simmering beans.
3. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook kale for 5 minutes. Drain; set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze any remaining water from kale, then coarsely chop kale.
4. Rinse and wipe out skillet. In skillet cook sausage in 1 tsp. olive oil over medium-high heat about 3 minutes, until well browned on each side.
5. When beans are tender, add kale and sausage to beans in Dutch oven. Simmer 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Let stand 30 minutes. (Soup flavor improves when allowed to rest 30 minutes or longer before serving. This soup can be made up to 2 days ahead and reheated.) Makes 8 servings.
**To pick through dry beans, spread them on a large rimmed baking pan. Examine beans, discarding shriveled beans and small stones.
Each serving: 453 cal, 16 g fat, 40 mg chol, 1,199 mg sodium, 52 g carb, 14 g fiber, 27 g pro.
