Beans and Greens with Chorizo
Ingredients
Directions
Ingredients
4 oz
(½ link) dried chorizo salami picante, casing removed and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
3 tbsp
olive oil
1
large white onion, chopped
3
cloves garlic, smashed
½ lb
white beans, such as cannellini, soaked overnight
1
bunch parsley
2
bunches lacinato kale leaves, about 1.5 pounds (strips and stalks saved for broth or other use)
1 ½ tsp
salt
Several cracks freshly ground black pepper
Beans and Greens with Chorizo
This pot of beans builds flavor based on smoky and spicy dried salami, onions, and garlic. Once the beans have cooked for a couple of hours and become creamy inside, the whole pot is crowned with a few handfuls of crispy, charred kale, for a one-pot meal that you can snack on all week long.
5 cups
- Heat a 3-quart or larger Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chopped chorizo to the pot (it may sizzle and smoke a little) and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously until it releases a slick of bright red oil and chorizo pieces brown slightly on the edges. You can test by removing one piece, letting it cool slightly, and tasting it: It should be crispy. With a slotted spoon, remove chorizo from your pot to a bowl and set aside, leaving behind all the oil.
- To the pot, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and chopped onions. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent and just beginning to brown on edges, 7-9 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until aromatic and coated in oil.
- Drain the beans and add to the pot along with 6 cups water. Grab your parsley bunch and generously tear off the stem ends, then wrap them up with a piece of string and nestle the bouquet into your pot (it's okay if they have some frilly leaves attached; this will add nice flavor as the beans cook). Bring your pot to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 ½ to 2 hours (cook time may vary depending on your bean size and preferred creaminess). Chop the top tender leaves and stems of your remaining parsley until raggedy, and reserve for garnishing later.
- Test your beans periodically; when they have a slight bite but are almost cooked through, season them with 1 teaspoon salt. While the beans are finishing (in the last half hour of cooking), turn your oven to 450°F and set a heavy-duty sheet pan inside while your oven is preheating (if you know where the hottest part of your oven is, situate your rack and pan there).
- While the sheet pan is warming, in a large bowl, rub kale with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of salt, and a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper. When oven has preheated, use a mitt to pull out the rack with your hot pan and test by throwing on one leaf of kale; if it makes a sizzling sound, it's ready. Working quickly, pour your kale onto your hot sheet pan in a somewhat even layer and roast for 5-7 minutes. The goal here is to take the kale halfway to kale chip, so it should be roasted with some dry, frizzly bits, but some meaty, moist parts as well. Remove kale pan from oven.
- Remove bouquet of parsley stems from your pot and, using tongs, nestle the roasted kale among the beans. Add a little more water if necessary, to keep everything just brimming at the surface. Let simmer together for 3-5 minutes, just to rehydrate the drier bits of the kale. Remove from heat, stir in reserved crispy chorizo bites, adjust seasoning (the chorizo will pack some salty bombs, so be sure to wait until you add it to go all out on the salt), and garnish with chopped parsley.