I didn’t grow up in Maine. Shocker!
I grew up south of the Mason-Dixon line. Not very far, but far enough that split pea soup was on the rotation at home and I developed an almost unnatural love for good savory cornbread. So although I can’t remember eating anything with long-cooking greens at home, somehow it seeped into my blood that collards and kale are good eatin’.
When Farmer Justin offered me a bag of snow-covered kale earlier this week, I wanted to get creative and make some sort of strata, or kale lasagne, or get fancy with the blender and make kale cookies. But what my soul really hankered for during this snowy week was a big pot of beans and greens. Beans are inexpensive, nutritious, and filling. And they just belong cooked up with salt pork (or bacon) and hearty, long-cooking greens. I think Mainers would approve.
This dish takes a while, but you don’t have to pre-soak the beans, and it keeps for a week in the fridge. You could use all olive oil instead of bacon and easily turn this into a vegan meal, if that’s what you’re into.
Beans and Greens
1/2 T. olive oil
2 strips bacon, chopped up
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. dry navy beans
about 4 c. long-cooking greens such as kale or collards, chopped
Put first four ingredients in a large pot over low heat. Keep it there for about half an hour, until the bacon has mostly rendered out its fat, and the onions are translucent. Pour off the extra bacon fat if you want.
Add the beans, and about three or four times as much water as beans. Cover, bring to a boil, then drop the heat back to medium and let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
Add the chopped greens to the pot, and cover. You may have to really stuff them in there. After they’ve started to soften a little bit, stir up the pot so that everything gets mixed together, and put the cover back on. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes, until the beans are soft and the greens are tender.
This makes about four servings, maybe more. Eat up, it’s good for you.
Post a Comment